Media Crackdown in Afghanistan Intensifies; 205 Violations of Journalists’ Freedom Recorded
The Afghanistan Journalists Center has announced that in 2025, the media working environment in Afghanistan has come under more control and restrictions by the Taliban administration than ever before. According to this report, at least 205 cases of violence and violations of media freedom have been recorded across the country, including journalists being killed or injured, threatened, and detained.
Details of the report state that during the year, two journalists lost their lives and three others were wounded. Additionally, 166 cases of threats against media professionals were documented, among which 34 involved the detention of journalists by Taliban forces.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center has confirmed that currently five journalists are being held in Taliban prisons; a situation that has heightened concerns about the protection of journalists and their access to fundamental rights.
The report also notes that over the past 12 months, the Taliban’s strict policies have led to increased censorship and a suffocating atmosphere in the media. Forced on-air confessions of imprisoned journalists, barring female journalists from attending senior officials’ press conferences, and silencing women reporters during live broadcasts have been cited as prominent examples of these pressures.
According to the report, the ban on broadcasting “live” images in 17 provinces has caused the closure of at least 20 television stations. Furthermore, two other TV stations and two radio stations have ceased operations for political and security reasons.
Expressing concern, the Afghanistan Journalists Center stated that the Taliban administration has turned state media into propaganda tools while systematically suppressing free and independent media; an approach that poses a serious threat to the future of freedom of expression and media development in Afghanistan.
