Date: 26/11/1403

The Taliban Prohibits Afghan Media from Broadcasting Political and Economic Programs
The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has issued a new directive prohibiting all Afghan media outlets from broadcasting any political or economic programs or discussions. According to reports delivered to several television stations in Kabul, this directive restricts media outlets to producing political and economic content solely through interviews with Taliban government spokespersons.
This measure has raised widespread concern among journalists and media-support organizations.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), expressing deep concern over this decision, described it as a step toward suppressing any form of criticism and an attempt to impose a “single-voice policy” in Afghanistan. In a statement, the Center emphasized that this new restriction further limits media freedom and will silence critical voices within society.
Sources in Kabul informed the Center that the directive was verbally communicated to the managers of several Kabul-based television stations by the Ministry of Information and Culture on Wednesday, 23 Bahman. According to these sources, television journalists confirmed on Friday, 26 Bahman, that the restriction includes not only political programs but also economic programs that might challenge Taliban policies.
Officials from the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture have not issued any formal statement on whether this ban is temporary or permanent. However, past records indicate that since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, at least 23 media directives have been issued, each further tightening restrictions on press freedom.
On 14/02/2025, the Taliban Ministry of Information and Culture issued an eight-article directive instructing media outlets not to air live programs, requiring that all interviews and discussions be pre-recorded before broadcast. The directive also included a list of Taliban-approved experts, emphasizing that individuals not approved by the Ministry must not appear on any programs. The directive further stressed that media outlets must refrain from challenging the Taliban’s laws, policies, and decisions.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center added that the Taliban were dissatisfied with how the previous directive was implemented, leading to the issuance of this new restriction.
The Center condemned these restrictions and called on the Taliban to annul these unlawful directives and allow the media to operate freely in accordance with the law. It stressed that freedom of expression is a fundamental right of all citizens and should be respected even based on religious principles.
Since the Taliban’s return to power, independent media in Afghanistan have faced severe restrictions, resulting in the shutdown of numerous television stations, radio networks, and print newspapers. Previously, the Taliban had banned the broadcast and publication of all music, television series, films, and any content critical of the regime. During the Taliban’s three and a half years in power, dozens of journalists and media workers have been arrested and imprisoned for allegedly violating Taliban decrees.
In the most recent incident, last week, Taliban intelligence officers raided the office of Begum Radio—Afghanistan’s only women-focused media outlet—arrested three staff members, and shut down the station’s operations. The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture claimed in a statement that the outlet had violated Taliban regulations and that its staff had been producing content for media organizations operating outside Afghanistan.
Earlier, Taliban intelligence officers also arrested and imprisoned several employees of Arzu TV, accusing them of collaborating with critical media outlets abroad. According to Taliban media guidelines, any form of collaboration—or even participating in interviews—from within Afghanistan with media critical of the Taliban is prohibited, and anyone who violates this rule will face legal consequences.

This report documents a directive issued by the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture prohibiting Afghan media outlets from broadcasting political or economic programs except through interviews with Taliban government spokespersons. The restriction effectively eliminates independent analysis or debate on political and economic matters, limiting media discussion to official government narratives. The directive forms part of a broader pattern of regulatory control over the media sector since the Taliban’s return to power, including earlier rules requiring pre-recorded programming, limiting guest experts to those approved by authorities, and prohibiting criticism of Taliban laws or policies. Together, these measures institutionalize a system of centralized narrative control over political and economic discourse and further narrow the space for independent journalism and public scrutiny