Taliban Bans Live Human Images in Herat Media, Imposes New Restrictions on Journalists

Local sources in Herat confirm that the Taliban administration’s order to stop broadcasting live images of people in the province’s visual media has been implemented starting today, Wednesday, January 1st. According to these sources, media officials and YouTubers were summoned to a meeting by the Taliban’s Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and the Department of Information and Culture. They were informed that any live image broadcasting must cease immediately. One participant in the meeting said the head of the Promotion of Virtue department emphasized that this order came from the Taliban leader and that disobedience would be considered a “sin.” This restriction had previously been officially announced in Herat on September 22nd. During the meeting, media staff and journalists were also instructed to grow beards and refrain from wearing ties—a move that has drawn criticism for further tightening pressure on media freedom and journalists’ professional rights. Under the Taliban’s law for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the publication of live human images has been declared forbidden. This policy is being gradually enforced in various provinces, including Herat. Critics argue that this policy restricts citizens’ access to information and contradicts media principles.