Expansion of the Ban on Broadcasting Images of Living Beings to 10 Provinces

The Afghanistan Journalists Center has announced that the Taliban, citing the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law, have banned local media outlets in the provinces of Badakhshan, Baghlan, and Nimroz from broadcasting live images of living beings. With this action, the number of provinces affected by the ban has increased to 10.

According to the report released by the center today (Friday, 28th March), the Taliban’s Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice officials in the aforementioned provinces have informed media managers that broadcasting live images is prohibited under Article 17 of the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center has expressed concern over the intensification of media repression, warning that this new ban on broadcasting live images will prevent television stations from providing direct news coverage and will increase the restrictions on media outlets, particularly radio stations, that are active on social media.

The “Promotion of Virtue” law was approved last year in the July by Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader.

Since the law’s implementation, the broadcasting of live images has gradually been banned in the provinces of Helmand, Badghis, Kandahar, Takhar, Nuristan, Nangarhar, Farah, and most recently, in the provinces of Baghlan, Badakhshan, and Nimroz.

Additionally, in Kabul, the capital, the taking of photographs and images has been banned in some ministries and government offices.

The AFJC has called on the Taliban to revoke the live broadcasting ban and review the media restrictions enforced over the past three years, so that media outlets can operate freely in accordance with Afghanistan’s media laws and journalists can work without fear.