Taliban extends media restrictions, bans photography in Daykundi province
The Taliban have imposed further restrictions on media freedom, banning the publication of photographs and videos in Daykundi province. This latest move comes after similar bans in Herat, Maidan Wardak, Badghis, Nangarhar, Laghman, Kandahar, and Takhar provinces, where journalists and media outlets have been warned against capturing or disseminating images of people in public.
On Wednesday, 23rd of October, the Taliban's Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice issued a formal warning to media outlets and journalists in Daykundi, instructing them to cease taking pictures and recording videos. The ministry has cautioned that those who violate this directive will face legal consequences.
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, the regime has steadily increased restrictions on the media, leading to the closure of many outlets. Journalists who remain in the country have faced threats, intimidation, and strict controls over their reporting. These actions have resulted in the mass exodus of Afghan journalists seeking refuge in other countries, as press freedom continues to deteriorate under the Taliban.
The ban on photography and videography is part of the Taliban's broader efforts to control the flow of information, limit media coverage, and prevent public exposure of their actions. Human rights groups and international media watchdogs have condemned these moves as an assault on press freedom and transparency.
As restrictions tighten, the space for independent journalism in Afghanistan continues to shrink, leaving the world with fewer avenues to understand and respond to the realities on the ground under Taliban rule.
