On Friday, Reporters Without Borders released a crucial report detailing a severe decline in press freedom in Afghanistan.
The document points to a series of media closures instigated by the Taliban in 2024, with at least 12 media outlets—both state and privately owned—having shuttered their operations this year alone.
The latest to fold was Arezo TV, a Kabul-based broadcaster that ceased operations on December 4.
This alarming trend has only intensified worries about rampant censorship and escalating restrictions on media practices across the nation.
Targeting Media and Content Restrictions
The Taliban’s campaign against the media has targeted a wide array of content deemed objectionable.
This includes music, fiction, and any discussions that conflict with their interpretation of Islamic values or critique their policies.
To enforce their stringent regulations, the Taliban has ordered the suspension of 11 television channels and one radio station.
Some media outlets have managed to avoid complete shutdowns by complying with the severe content restrictions imposed by the regime.
These measures not only reduce the diversity of media representation but also result in the detention of journalists.
Currently, seven employees from Arezo TV, including prominent figures like bureau chief Amanullah Azimi, are being held in Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul.
Reporters Without Borders has urgently called for their release and has decried the ongoing crackdown on press freedoms.
Government Crackdown on Arezo TV
On the same day that Arezo TV closed its doors, agents from the General Intelligence Directorate and the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice invaded the station, confiscating essential equipment such as mobile phones and hard drives.
Arezo TV faced accusations of broadcasting programs from exiled Afghan media and soap operas that allegedly challenged the Taliban’s religious standards.
Célia Mercier, the head of RSF’s South Asia Desk, expressed deep concern regarding these developments, indicating a troubling ideological shift within the Taliban that has led to stricter media repression.
She underscored the urgent need to restore press freedoms, advocating for an environment where media outlets can operate without fear of censorship or retaliation.
Legislative Challenges to Media Freedom
A recently adopted law concerning the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has further complicated matters.
This legislation bans any portrayal of living beings in media broadcasts, particularly affecting television stations in provinces such as Kandahar, Helmand, and Badghis.
Such strict enforcement has severely impeded the media’s ability to function independently.
Even radio stations in regions like Khost have experienced temporary closures for allegedly breaching the Taliban’s rigid commands against music and the presence of female voices in broadcasts.
Earlier this year, politically affiliated channels like Noor TV and Barya TV were also among those that faced termination.
Since the Taliban regained control in August 2021, a troubling pattern has emerged, with authorities detaining at least 141 journalists, including more than 25 arrests occurring in 2024 alone.
While the Taliban’s previous regime from 1996 to 2001 imposed a total ban on television, this time around, such a prohibition has not been re-established.
However, the current environment starkly contrasts with the more open media landscape that existed prior to their return to power, casting a shadow over the future of press freedom in Afghanistan.
Source: Jurist