The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) has published its comprehensive annual report covering the solar year 1404 (March 18, 2025 – March 17, 2026), providing an in-depth assessment of the media environment across Afghanistan. The report highlights a deeply constricted and repressive media landscape characterized by increased censorship, violence, and systematic suppression of press freedom under the de facto Taliban authorities.
Released today on the occasion of Afghanistan’s National Journalist Day, the report documents at least 207 incidents involving violations of media and journalist rights over the past 12 months. These violations include two journalist fatalities and injuries linked to Pakistani airstrikes, as well as 183 threats. Among these threats are 21 cases of journalist and media worker arrests, with five individuals still in detention at the time of reporting.
A significant development highlighted in the report is the expansion of the ban on publishing images of living beings, enforced across an additional 18 provinces—raising the total affected provinces to 25 out of 34. This prohibition has led to the closure of at least 21 local television stations and the forced cessation of operations by eight media outlets and journalism organizations. Additionally, the licenses of more than 10 journalistic entities have been revoked due to non-compliance with the de facto authorities’ media policies.
The report underscores a marked increase in media repression over the past year, including tactics such as forced confessions from detained journalists, restrictions on female journalists’ participation in the press conferences, and censorship of women’s voices. These measures have cultivated an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, exacerbated by pervasive gender discrimination—an unprecedented challenge for Afghan media.
The financial viability of the media sector has also deteriorated, with declining advertising revenue, international aid cuts, and sponsorship restrictions. As a consequence, major outlets in Kabul and other major cities have reduced programming and laid off staff, with smaller media outlets in the provinces operating intermittently or only upon securing commercial advertisements.
Comparative data indicates a troubling rise in violations: incidents increased by over 20% from the previous solar year, which recorded 172 violations, including 122 threats and 50 arrests. This escalation reflects a deteriorating environment for journalists and media outlets.
The report further details how de facto authorities have co-opted state and affiliated media outlets into propaganda tools, employing both overt and covert mechanisms to promote a singular narrative under a “single voice” policy. Meanwhile, independent media face persistent suppression, with restrictions on access to information and efforts to marginalize diverse voices in the media landscape.
AFJC condemns these developments and emphasizes that such violations threaten the fundamental rights of journalists and the broader right to free expression. AFJC calls on the de facto Taliban authorities to uphold their obligations under international and national media laws to protect journalists’ rights and freedoms. It further urges the international community, media rights organizations, and stakeholders to intensify advocacy efforts aimed at restoring press freedom, supporting independent journalism, and opposing the silencing of dissenting voices.
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