AFJC confirms increase in media repression in Afghanistan in 2024
The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) has reported a rise in media freedom violations in 2024, documenting 181 incidents, including the closure of 18 media outlets and the arrest of 50 journalists. The report highlights an eight percent increase in violations compared to the previous year, underscoring a deteriorating environment for press freedom in Afghanistan.
AFJC points to ambiguities in the Taliban’s media policy and divisions within the de facto government as key contributors to the repression.
While the Ministry of Information and Culture has publicly supported media freedoms and pledged to uphold the previous government’s Media Law, a hardline faction within the Taliban has increasingly taken control through the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) and the Ministry of Vice and Virtue.
Seven new directives were introduced in 2024, adding to existing restrictions. These include bans on filming in several provinces, limits on women contacting media outlets, and mandates on reporting terminology.
Since August 2021, at least 15 directives have been issued, covering topics like prohibitions on women’s media appearances, live political broadcasts, and criticism of Taliban officials.
The AFJC noted a reduction in violence against journalists, with no targeted attacks reported in 2024, compared to a deadly attack in 2023. However, five journalists received prison sentences of two to five years.
The report concludes that despite claims of protecting media rights, the reality reflects growing control and suppression, raising concerns about the future of journalism in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.
