Tightening Media Restrictions: Taliban Bans Broadcasting of Images of Living Beings in Three More Provinces

According to a statement released by the Afghanistan Journalists Center, with the implementation of this ban in three additional provinces, the total number of provinces where the broadcasting of images of living beings is prohibited has increased to 10.

The statement noted that the Taliban have instructed media officials in these three provinces that broadcasting images of living beings is forbidden in accordance with the Taliban's Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice.

Based on the Afghanistan Journalists Center’s review, this ban had previously been officially enforced in Kandahar, Takhar, Badghis, Helmand, Nangarhar, Nuristan, and Farah provinces. Although restrictions have been somewhat relaxed in some of these provinces, their expansion to new areas has raised further concerns.

Meanwhile, the Freedom of Expression House, in response to this decision, described the ban on broadcasting images of living beings in Badakhshan, Baghlan, and Nimruz as part of a broader media censorship effort.

In a statement, the organization argued that the Taliban are tactically exploiting media activities in both the capital and the provinces for their propaganda purposes and warned that enforcing this directive could lead to a complete ban on broadcasting images of living beings across all provinces.

The Freedom of Expression House emphasized that this decision is a blatant violation of freedom of expression and the public’s right to access information, calling on international organizations, media rights defenders, and human rights activists to respond to this Taliban measure.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center also expressed concern over the expanding restrictions and warned about the consequences of media suppression.

According to the center, the ban on broadcasting images of living beings excludes television stations from the news dissemination process and imposes additional restrictions on other media, particularly radio stations that operate on social networks.

The center has urged decision-makers in Kandahar and the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice to reconsider the order banning the broadcasting of images of living beings and to lift other media restrictions, thereby providing journalists with an environment to operate freely and without fear.