The Guardian (UK): In the two decades before the Taliban returned to power, Afghanistan had a vibrant media sector. There were newspapers, television channels, periodicals, magazines and more, invigorating the public discourse by allowing citizens to express their views on national and local issues. That is completely gone now. Click here to read more (external
Ayaz Gul VOA News April 17, 2024 ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — The Taliban government in Afghanistan has suspended the broadcast of two privately run local TV channels over alleged violations of official regulations and “Islamic values.” Free media advocates Wednesday criticized the overnight suspension, calling it a violation of Afghanistan’s media-governing laws. The Taliban-run information ministry’s Media
Omid Marzban and Michael Scollon Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty April 14, 2024 Facebook users in Afghanistan fear the Taliban’s plans to block or restrict access to the popular social-media platform will deal a death blow to what is left of free speech in the country. It is unclear what exactly the “finalized” policy announced last
Ayaz Gul VOA News April 9, 2024 Media freedom advocates are expressing alarm over the Taliban’s proposal to restrict or completely ban access to Facebook in Afghanistan and have urged the fundamentalist rulers to reconsider the move. Najibullah Haqqani, minister of telecommunications and Information, announced last week on a local TV news channel that he
Khaama: According to a report,” Najibullah Haqqani, the acting Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology for the Taliban in Afghanistan, announced in an interview with Tolo News on Saturday night, April 6th, that the ministry has finalized the plan to block the social network Facebook in Afghanistan. It is worth mentioning that since the Taliban
8am: The relationship between the Taliban and the media is defined by the interests of this group. During the Taliban’s first emirate, they shut down all visual, audio, and written media outlets, except for one or two Taliban-affiliated outlets like “Voice of Sharia,” to control public opinion. Even those who owned televisions and satellite dishes
WP: The Taliban-run government is fostering a thriving community of YouTube influencers and video bloggers in Afghanistan, seeking to shape a positive narrative about the country by rewarding those who have welcome viewpoints with access to stories that can draw millions of views online. Meanwhile, videos that are critical of the Taliban have largely disappeared
8am: Taliban have extensively suppressed and tortured critics and opponents of their regime over the past two and a half years. A senior Taliban official recently warned that no one has the right to criticize this group. The Director of Invitation and Guidance at the Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled Affairs under Taliban control stated
Khaama: Mansoor Nekmal, the Editor in Chief of Khaama Press, has been detained following a summons to the [Taliban] Ministry of Vice and Virtue, sparking urgent calls for his release and a rallying cry for press freedom in Afghanistan..The detention came after a recent report published by Khaama Press on the hijab issue, which led
VOA Afghan Service January 26, 2024 Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Thursday detained an Afghan poet, Izatullah Zawab, who serves as the head of Meena (Love) magazine in eastern Afghanistan, as part of an ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression and independent media in the country, family members posted on social media. The family members said Zawab was