The Taliban persistently impose constraints on media liberty in Afghanistan.
As per a journalists' association, the Taliban governing Afghanistan are tightening their grip on media freedom even further. The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) announced a fresh set of regulations that prohibit critiquing the Taliban's laws and policies on television broadcasts. Consequently, media outlets must now pre-record their broadcasts, submit guest lists for approval, and self-censor content that criticizes Taliban policies.
AFJC characterizes these new regulations as "an additional effort to undermine and suppress independent media in Afghanistan." Since reclaiming power in August 2021, the Taliban have introduced and enforced at least 21 media guidelines, significantly curbing media freedom, according to the association. Last year alone, AFJC reported at least 168 incidents where journalists' rights were breached, including 61 arrests.
Human rights advocates too lament the constraints imposed on press freedom under the Taliban. Analysts assert that the authoritarian Islamists are endeavoring to construct a media sphere that mirrors their perspectives and serves their interests. Foreign journalists also attest to growing limitations. Local advocates for media freedom maintain that Afghanistan has transformed into one of the world's most intensely censored nations.
The Taliban's actions towards media freedom have been widely criticized by human rights advocates and international media. The media, struggling under these restrictive measures, are now forced to self-censor and comply with the Taliban's regulations.
