Journalism in Exile: Maryam Naibkhil’s 2026 RSF Press Freedom Award Nomination

Image: Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) named Maryam Naibkhil, managing director of Zan Television Network, among the five nominees for its 2026 Press Freedom Prize in the “Journalistic Independence” category. The nomination goes beyond an individual achievement, reflecting the struggle of women journalists who continue working to preserve independent journalism on Afghanistan despite threats, censorship and forced displacement.

RSF’s Journalistic Independence Prize is awarded annually to journalists, media outlets or organisations that resist political, economic, financial, religious or other forms of pressure while upholding professional principles. In its profile of Naibkhil, RSF highlighted her continued work in exile and her independent stance against the Taliban and their policies.

RSF nominated a total of 28 journalists, photographers, media outlets and defenders of press freedom from 25 countries across five categories. The Journalistic Independence Prize was awarded to Julia Mengolini, an Argentine journalist and founder of the independent media outlet Futurock, during a ceremony held in Marseille, France, on 1 June.

Speaking to Zan News, Naibkhil said she viewed the nomination as more than a personal achievement.

“I do not see this nomination merely as a personal achievement. I see it as a greater responsibility to defend freedom of expression and the voices of women who, despite restrictions, continue to defend their right to participate in the media,” she said.

According to Naibkhil, many Afghan women journalists have lost more than their jobs. They have also been deprived of their security, economic independence and ability to live normal lives. Some continue working inside Afghanistan under pressure and censorship, while others have been forced into exile or compelled to abandon journalism entirely.

“My name appearing among the nominees for this prize symbolises the resistance of a generation of Afghan women journalists,” she added. “This nomination reflects the efforts of all the women journalists who continue to stand up for independent media and ensure that the voices of Afghan women are heard.”

The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 severely restricted the space for media activity in Afghanistan. UNESCO says more than 80 per cent of women working in the media have lost their jobs. UNAMA has also documented hundreds of violations against journalists and stressed that women journalists face greater restrictions and discrimination. The threat of arrest, Taliban interference in media content and restricted access to information have severely curtailed journalists’ ability to work freely. Naibkhil said censorship in Afghanistan is not limited to removing a report or changing a few words. The Taliban also interfere in the selection of questions, guests, images and editorial subjects.

“Journalists are constantly worried that a question, guest, image or subject could anger the Taliban,” she said. “These pressures and the fear of arrest have deprived many journalists of the ability to work freely.”

According to her, women journalists face multiple layers of pressure because of their gender. They have been prevented from attending press conferences, interviewing Taliban officials and participating freely in radio and television programmes.

In its profile of Maryam Naibkhil, RSF wrote that she first worked at Zan TV as a presenter and later as a journalist. Following the Taliban’s return to power, she assumed responsibility for managing the outlet despite serious security risks.

According to RSF, Naibkhil covered subjects in 2022 that the Taliban considered “sensitive”, particularly issues related to women. Security threats forced her to seek refuge first in Pakistan and later in France, but she continued running Zan TV online from exile.

Naibkhil said Zan TV operated inside Afghanistan until July 2022. Continuing to work under the name “Zan TV” in an environment where the Taliban were removing women from public life was not merely a professional decision, she said.

“Continuing to work under the name Zan TV was a form of resistance against the erasure of women from public life and the media,” she said.

According to Naibkhil, preserving editorial independence while protecting the lives of her colleagues was among the most difficult aspects of working inside Afghanistan. In interviews with Taliban officials, including Zabihullah Mujahid, she raised questions about violations of women’s rights, the detention of protesters and restrictions on the media; questions that increased the risk of threats or arrest.

Naibkhil said direct threats and the risk of detention ultimately made it impossible for her to continue working in Afghanistan. According to her, Taliban intelligence officers searched her mobile phone and interrogated and threatened her over her media work.

During the first years of exile, Naibkhil continued operating Zan TV from a single room in Pakistan with only a laptop. As the number of staff declined, she assumed much of the responsibility for managing broadcasts, reporting, conducting interviews, editing and designing content.

“Running a media network with such limited resources was extremely difficult, but I did not want the voices of Zan TV and Afghan women to be silenced,” she said.

The consequences of Taliban pressure on women journalists cannot be reduced to statistics alone. Naibkhil recalled a former Zan TV employee who had reported freely on camera before the Taliban’s return but was later forced to cover her face with a mask. For security reasons, Zan News is withholding her name and other identifying details.

The journalist was later detained by the Taliban and did not return to media work after her release. According to Naibkhil, she was the breadwinner of her family but now has neither a job nor a stable income.

Her story reflects the experiences of women who have been pushed out of the media since the Taliban’s return. Some continue to work but are forced to conceal their identities, faces and voices.

According to Naibkhil, exiled media outlets are among the few remaining channels for publishing independent information about Afghanistan, as many issues concerning women’s rights and human rights violations cannot be reported freely by media outlets inside the country.

RSF wrote that despite threats and Taliban efforts to silence her, Naibkhil has maintained an uncompromising stance against the group.

For Naibkhil, journalistic independence means that no political authority, armed group or institution should determine which facts are published and which voices are excluded.

Naibkhil said support for Afghan women journalists must not be limited to statements and expressions of concern. Journalists at risk need immediate access to protection, relocation and emergency visa pathways, while exiled media outlets require direct and accessible financial support.

“Afghan women journalists do not need pity,” she said. “They need security, opportunities, resources and partnerships that enable them to continue their professional and independent work.”

Maryam Naibkhil’s nomination for the Journalistic Independence Prize is a reminder of the women journalists who continue reporting the truth; under concealed identities inside Afghanistan and with limited resources in exile.