Afghan Journalists Centre Reports 207 Media Freedom Violations in One Year
The Afghanistan Journalists Centre has announced that at least 207 violations of media freedom and journalists’ rights were recorded in the year 1404 in the Persian calendar (March 2025 – March 2026). This figure indicates an increase in pressure on the media compared to the previous year. The organisation says that the Taliban administration has intensified censorship, threats, and suppression of journalists over the past year.
This report was published on Wednesday, 27th of Hoot, coinciding with National Journalists Day, and presents a worrying picture of the media situation in Afghanistan. According to the Centre’s findings, two journalists were killed and one was injured, while 183 cases of threats were documented, including 21 instances of the arrest of journalists and media activists.
The organisation states that the killings and injuries of journalists resulted from an attack attributed to Pakistani forces. However, the majority of recorded cases relate to actions and restrictions imposed by the Taliban administration on the media.
The report notes that the ban on broadcasting live images has expanded and is now enforced in 18 provinces across the country. As a result of this restriction, 21 local television stations have either ceased operations or switched to radio broadcasting, a move that has reduced citizens’ access to visual information.
The Afghanistan Journalists Centre also reported that during the past year, the activities of eight media outlets were halted on charges of not complying with the Taliban’s media policies, and the licenses of at least 10 media organizations were revoked. Additionally, reported violations include forced confessions, preventing female journalists from attending meetings, and the censorship of women’s voices.
The organisation warned that the continuation of these measures could have serious consequences for freedom of expression and public access to information. The Afghanistan Journalists Centre has called on the Taliban administration to respect the fundamental rights of journalists and media outlets and to provide a safe and free environment for their work.
