Taliban Ban the Publication of Images of Living Beings in Herat

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In a new and controversial move, the Taliban’s Department of Vice and Virtue in Herat province issued an official order on Tuesday (September 23) during a meeting with local media officials, prohibiting the publication of images of living beings.

According to officials of this department, “the publication of images of living beings, including humans, in the media is contrary to Sharia rulings” and has explicitly been declared “forbidden and prohibited.”

This decision has met with strong and alarming reactions from local media outlets in Herat.

A number of media managers and owners described this decree as an organized attempt by the Taliban to silence independent media and further restrict freedom of expression. Some have also warned that with the implementation of this ban, many media outlets will be forced to cease their activities.

One media manager, who requested anonymity, told Zan News:

“When the publication of images of journalists, interviewees, or even educational visual content is banned, continuing media work becomes practically impossible. This decision is not only against the principles of journalism but also a heavy blow to freedom of information in Afghanistan.”

This new Taliban decision comes as the international community, human rights organizations, and media support bodies have repeatedly warned about the dire state of freedom of expression in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, restrictions on the activities of media outlets, journalists, and especially women in this sector have increased to unprecedented levels.

Political analysts believe that such restrictions are part of the Taliban’s ideological approach to achieving complete control over the public sphere and society’s mindset, a strategy that not only threatens media independence but also gravely undermines citizens’ access to free and reliable information.

Currently, many local media outlets in Herat and other provinces are already facing financial shortages, severe censorship, and security pressures. With the ban on publishing images of living beings, a new wave of media closures and journalist migration abroad is likely to begin.