Taliban Systematically Censors Media Outlets: FSH

Kabul – Free Speech Hub has reported that the Afghan media outlets have been severely vandalized and systematically censored by the Taliban’s Intelligence Department since the takeover.

“Numerous media outlets have been shut down due to economic and political pressures following the Taliban’s takeover, and others have been severely restricted, (FSH) announced on (Monday, January 17).

Afghanistan’s media are no longer completely free, according to the (FSH)’s statement.

The report states that the Afghan media and journalists are under unprecedented pressure from individuals affiliated with the Taliban’s Intelligence Department, which censors journalists and the media in various ways.

The Taliban’s Intelligence Department is using force, threats, and pressure to turn all of Afghanistan’s free media into its own propaganda platform, but unfortunately, it has succeeded to some extent, the announcement added.

The Free Speech Hub says individuals from the Taliban intelligence regularly go to the news outlets of the media and give orders and prohibitions. They say to the reporters, “You work under our rule, so you have to publish what we say and you must not publish what we do not want.”

According to the (FSH), Taliban individuals threaten journalists with imprisonment and beatings through telephone calls, which have put severe psychological pressure on journalists, and as a result, many journalists have resigned.

In addition, it has condemned the Taliban’s systematic censorship and growing pressure on the media and called on Taliban leaders to end media repression and freedom of expression, while emphasizing the protection of the right to freedom of expression as a fundamental human right.

Meanwhile, these concerns come as dozens of journalists have been harassed by Taliban forces during their five-month rule.