Date: 27/11/1403

Sources report that the Taliban have ordered media outlets operating under their control to halt the broadcast of all political and economic programs until further notice. According to the sources, the order was verbally communicated to media officials on Wednesday, February 13, with warnings that violations would carry “serious consequences.”

Journalists told Hasht-e Subh that television stations were instructed to cancel political and economic programs, even when episodes had already been recorded or guests invited. Sources stated that the Taliban had previously imposed multiple restrictions, including providing media with a list of 65 approved guests, banning live broadcasts, and requiring recorded programs to be submitted for approval before airing. Under the latest order, media outlets are reportedly permitted to invite only Taliban spokespersons to political and economic programs.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center condemned the move, stating that it represents an effort to suppress remaining critical voices and enforce a “one-voice policy.” In a statement, the Center said the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture had instructed Kabul-based television stations to prohibit the production and broadcast of all political and economic talk and analytical programs.

The Center and other media support organizations further warned that restrictions on radio and television have intensified sharply. They reported the closure of multiple radio stations, imprisonment of media workers, and the forced shutdown of more than 130 radio stations—approximately 41 percent of Afghanistan’s total—due to censorship, political pressure, and economic constraints.

The Taliban’s blanket ban on political and economic programming represents a decisive move to eliminate pluralism and independent analysis from Afghanistan’s media landscape. By restricting guest selection, banning live broadcasts, and ultimately silencing all non-official political and economic content, the authorities enforce a centralized propaganda model. This policy institutionalizes a “one-voice” media environment, depriving the public of information, debate, and accountability.