UN Reports Taliban Detain Afghan Journalists Over 250 Times

A recent United Nations report reveals that since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, journalists have faced severe repression, with 256 documented detentions and 130 cases of torture and poor treatment reported by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), VOA revealed in an article yesterday.

The environment for journalists is characterized by “censorship and tight restrictions,” leading to arbitrary arrests for perceived violations, including defaming the government or spreading false information. The UNAMA report found that journalists and media workers in Afghanistan often face “unclear rules on what they can and cannot report.”

Within three months of the takeover, around 40% of Afghan media outlets disappeared, according to the media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders, or RSF.

The Taliban’s foreign ministry dismissed these figures as exaggerated, claiming detentions occur only for legal violations. Analysts suggest the high number of arrests aims to instill fear and promote self-censorship within the media community. Since the takeover, approximately 40% of Afghan media outlets have closed, and eight out of ten women journalists have stopped working.

The UN urges the Taliban to improve conditions for journalists and uphold press freedom, emphasizing the critical role of women in the media sector.