Afghanistan Journalists Center Reports 150 Media Freedom Violations Over Past Year

The Afghanistan Journalists Center released a report on May 2 documenting 150 cases of media freedom violations across the country over the past year. Published ahead of World Press Freedom Day, the findings indicate that independent media have entered a new phase of crisis as restrictions imposed by the Taliban continue to intensify.

According to the center’s data, the recorded incidents include 127 threats against journalists and 20 arrests or detentions. The report attributes the majority of these violations to the Taliban. Two employees of the national radio and television network were killed and one was injured in Pakistani airstrikes, accounting for the remaining cases.

The organization detailed a series of regulatory and operational constraints affecting the sector. Live broadcasting bans have been expanded to cover 25 provinces, while at least 11 media outlets have been forced to close. Additionally, operating permits for 10 media support organizations were revoked. The center noted that these measures, alongside ongoing censorship targeting female journalists and reports of forced confessions, have severely constrained independent reporting.

UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett responded to the findings by calling for the immediate release of all journalists currently detained by the authorities. The Afghanistan Journalists Center urged the international community to increase its support for Afghan media workers and reiterated demands for the unconditional release of detained reporters. The center warned that despite a numerical decrease in recorded incidents compared to the previous year, the overall environment for press freedom has grown increasingly restrictive.