Press freedom in Afghanistan has collapsed under Taliban rule, where censorship, arrests, and violence have turned journalism into a crime and silenced independent voices across the country. The latest international rankings place Afghanistan among the world’s worst nations for media freedom, highlighting an alarming regression in fundamental rights.
According to a report by Amu TV, the Taliban government has imposed sweeping restrictions on the media, leading to Afghanistan’s dramatic fall to 178th position out of 180 countries in the 2024 Press Freedom Index — a decline that has triggered deep global concern.
The Afghanistan Media Support Organization (AMSO) reported that since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, there have been 539 documented cases of violence against journalists, including beatings, arbitrary arrests, and the forced broadcast of “confession” videos. The organization stated that several journalists remain imprisoned on fabricated charges, with many others forced into exile.
In its latest findings, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) revealed that 12 media outlets have been shut down since the Taliban takeover, while 80 percent of female journalists have lost their jobs — effectively erasing women’s presence from Afghanistan’s media landscape.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has also condemned the Taliban’s tightening grip on the press, noting that the regime has banned television networks from broadcasting images of living beings, further crippling an already suffocated media environment.
The UN Secretary-General, marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation, warning that freedom of expression in Afghanistan is under severe threat.
Afghan journalists describe a climate of fear and repression where “telling the truth has become a crime.” Many report that silence is now their only means of survival amid constant intimidation and state surveillance.
Media organizations and human rights defenders worldwide are calling on the international community to take immediate and decisive action to safeguard press freedom and protect journalists in Afghanistan.
