Afghanistan: Taliban impose new restrictions on media

The Taliban recently imposed additional restrictions on media organizations in Afghanistan, prohibiting criticism of their laws and policies and banning the broadcast of live political shows, according to Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), an independent organization supporting the media and press freedom in Afghanistan.

The AFJC said the Taliban instructed media managers during a meeting on September 21 that the topics for political shows must be approved first by Taliban members.

The Taliban issued fresh guidelines instructing media organizations to only invite guests who are approved by the group.

The Taliban have provided a list of 68 experts they approve to appear on political shows. According to new guidelines, Taliban officials must be informed in advance if a guest outside the Taliban-approved list is to appear on a show.

"The guideline is a new effort to further weaken and marginalize independent media," AFCJ said in a statement, calling on the Taliban to refrain from suppressing free media.

Afghanistan's eroding civil liberties since Taliban takeover

The Taliban have continued to impose restrictions on media organizations since seizing power in August 2021, including banning women from showing their faces on air and broadcasting music.

In some provinces, even women's voices are banned from being aired on call-in shows. The group also regularly imprisons journalists and media professionals who, according to the Taliban, act against "national and Islamic interests in Afghanistan."

The Taliban have warned if any of the new directives are violated by a media organization, the group will deal with the program host, producer, editor, and guests "according to the rules."

Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, the group has issued 21 media directives aimed at restricting media activities, some of which can be considered quite bizarre.

One such directive from the Taliban's "vice and virtue" guidelines includes a ban on showing living creatures on TV. The group did not provide details of what the ban meant.

'Death of free speech' in Afghanistan

Journalists working in Afghanistan are reluctant to speak out as they fear prosecution by the Taliban. However, others who were able to flee the country have criticized the new directives.

"This directive is the death of freedom of speech because it limits the freedom of the press," Nawid Ahmad Barakzai, an Afghan journalist currently living in Pakistan, told DW.

"Media outlets in Afghanistan can no longer operate according to journalistic principles," said Barakzai, who worked in Afghanistan under Taliban rule before fleeing the country. 

Media outlets in Afghanistan are also not allowed to report on "corruption, immorality, lawlessness or violence by Taliban in the past as well," he added.

One media professional told DW that the Taliban often give such directives in face-to-face meetings with media managers, who had been called to the Taliban's Ministry of Culture and Information and were informed of the new rules.

"Journalists must get Taliban approval for seeking public opinion about events," Barakzai said. He warned that if the new directives were implemented, the Taliban could use Afghan media for their propaganda.

"Afghan media could become a Taliban mouthpiece," he said.

Since coming to power, the Taliban's biggest claim has been restoring security in Afghanistan. Therefore, the group strictly controls what news comes out of Afghanistan.

Censorship everywhere in Afghanistan

A journalist working inside Afghanistan, who wishes to remain anonymous for security reasons, told DW that the Taliban do not allow any journalist to report from crime scenes, explosions, thefts or any other incidents.

He explained that Taliban intelligence forces provide details to the media "in whatever way it benefits them."

The journalist added that when a media outlet wants to interview Taliban officials, the questions must be shared with the relevant department beforehand. Only after the questions are prepared in a way that suits the Taliban officials, can the interview be conducted.

The journalist said that after an interview is recorded and aired if there is any public reaction, the Taliban hold the media outlet accountable.

"I interviewed a Taliban member once and after it aired more than 50 Taliban members called me, asking why I didn't remove the part where the cleric smiled," he said.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn