There have been at least 89 documented cases of violations against journalists and media outlets in Afghanistan by Taliban members in the past six months, according to media watchdog the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AfJC).
The violations include 60 instances of threats made against journalists and media officials, and 29 cases of journalists being detained by Taliban forces, the AfJC said in a statement.
A journalist detained since April 6 in Ghazni province continues to be held in custody, the AfJC said.
In the past six months, Taliban officials have ordered seven media outlets to shut down, including two television stations in Kabul, and four radio stations in Logar and Khost, Ghazni provinces.
A fifth radio station in Parwan was shut down after the Taliban’s intelligence agency refused to renew its broadcasting license, the AfJC said.
The closure of three local radio stations was temporary and they have since reopened, but two television stations and two radio stations remain shuttered, awaiting permission to reopen, the AfJC added.
The statement said that Taliban pressures on private and independent media outlets have not only persisted but intensified, with increased oversight and control of media content.
The AfJC said that the Taliban’s intelligence agencies and the Ministry of Vice and Virtue exert direct and indirect control over media programming, impacting operational autonomy.
Highlighting the broader implications, the AfJC emphasized that the heightened restrictions on private and independent media, coupled with threats and detentions of journalists, undermine public awareness, essential freedoms, and the nation’s progress.
