In a significant move impacting Afghan media, the Taliban-led Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV) has begun enforcing a ban on photographing and broadcasting images of living beings, including people and animals, across multiple provinces. According to Afghan journalists, the gradual implementation of this rule, derived from recent “vice and virtue” laws, has already led to restrictions in central, eastern, and southern regions of Afghanistan.
Since mid-October, the PVPV ministry has held meetings in various provinces to inform journalists of the new restrictions, prohibiting media from photographing or filming people and animals. Although enforcement has varied, officials in Kabul, Helmand, Nangarhar, and other regions have reportedly issued notices restricting or banning visual media at public events. The ban mirrors the Taliban’s previous strict policies on media during their initial regime from 1996 to 2001, when television was banned outright.
Despite the restrictions, some government offices and officials in the Afghan capital continue to post photos of individuals, showing that the directive may not yet be uniformly enforced. The ministry’s spokesperson, Saiful Islam Khyber, announced on October 14 that the new rule “applies to all Afghanistan,” but emphasized that it would be introduced incrementally. Journalists, however, expressed concerns that the new regulations threaten press freedom and may lead to significant job losses within Afghanistan’s media sector. “Taking photos and images is an inseparable part of journalism,” one journalist from Daikundi province stated, describing a recent event where only audio recordings were permitted.
Press freedom advocates have raised alarms about the ongoing restrictions. Celia Mercier, South Asia Desk head for Reporters Without Borders (RSF), noted that the new rules represent an attempt to return to the Taliban’s former media policies, though enforcement has varied across ministries and regions. She also highlighted the potential for public dissent, given the existing restrictions on women’s rights, education, and freedom of expression, alongside this latest curb on press activities.
There are growing fears within the media community that a comprehensive ban could soon be imposed nationwide. While some broadcasters, including major Afghan news outlet Tolo News, continue to show images of people and animals, others have begun censoring content. For example, two provincial television channels in Takhar province ceased broadcasting images of living beings in October, instead airing logos and landscape visuals alongside audio.
Despite the ban’s gradual rollout, the presence of modern technology complicates enforcement efforts. “There is a real fear that there will one day be a total ban in the country,” Mercier said, pointing to the Taliban’s increasing use of audiovisual media for their own communication purposes. This shift comes as Afghanistan’s press freedom ranking has plummeted globally, dropping 56 places to 178 out of 180 countries since the Taliban’s return to power three years ago.
The information ministry has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the new restrictions. However, with officials in Kandahar and other regions now banning images at public events, Afghan journalists and press advocates are bracing for further constraints in the days ahead.
