Date: 06/10/1403

Kabul The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) today released its report on the state of media freedom and the situation of journalists in Afghanistan in 2024. The findings indicate that the process of suppressing press freedom has intensified, showing an increase of approximately eight percent compared to 2023. According to the report, over the past 12 months, the AFJC has documented 181 incidents of violations against media outlets and journalists, including the closure of 18 media organizations as a result of new restrictions imposed by the Taliban, as well as the detention of more than 50 journalists.
The report further states that in 2024, with the enforcement of the new Law on Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, extensive powers were granted to the mohtasebeen (religious police). Relying on this law, they impose a wide range of obligations and prohibitions on the public, including media workers. In addition to closely monitoring media activities, these officials, either independently or in coordination with the General Directorate of Intelligence, take direct action against media outlets and journalists whenever they choose.

This entry documents the escalation and consolidation of press repression in Afghanistan through the combined effect of new legal frameworks and enforcement practices. The findings highlight how the 2024 Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice expanded the authority of religious police, enabling systematic monitoring, detention, and closure of media outlets. The coordination between PVPV authorities and intelligence services illustrates the institutionalization of censorship and coercion as routine governance mechanisms rather than episodic violations.