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July 28, 2025 – Afghanistan –
The Taliban’s escalating repression of the Afghan press has intensified with the detention of at least seven journalists in recent days, according to reports from the Afghanistan Journalists Center. These arrests form part of a broader campaign to silence dissent and eliminate independent reporting under the group’s authoritarian rule.
Journalists were taken into custody in Kabul, Baghlan, and Balkh provinces, many without formal charges or explanation. Those detained include reporters affiliated with local outlets and freelancers who had covered protests or written critically about Taliban policies. Some were held for hours, others for days, and all were denied access to legal counsel or their families. In several cases, their homes and offices were raided, and equipment was confiscated. The detainees’ current status remains unclear.
The arrests come amid increasing harassment, threats, and surveillance of Afghan journalists. According to reporting by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Taliban has intensified efforts to crush free expression, labelling critical media coverage as foreign propaganda or anti-Islamic behaviour. Taliban security forces have summoned media workers for questioning, shut down outlets, and imposed new censorship policies aimed at controlling all public narratives.
Female journalists are among the most affected. Many have been forced off air or pressured into leaving their jobs altogether due to threats and discriminatory restrictions. Outlets that once covered women’s rights or political dissent now face intense scrutiny, leading to widespread self-censorship across the media landscape.
Media watchdogs and press freedom organizations are calling for immediate international pressure to secure the release of the detained journalists and to restore basic protections for the press. They warn that Afghanistan is rapidly returning to a dark era where no independent media can operate safely.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center has urged the Taliban to end its campaign of intimidation and respect the country’s obligations under international law. Without meaningful accountability and support for the press, they caution, Afghan society risks total information blackout and unchecked authoritarianism.
References –
https://8am.media/eng/detention-of-military-personnel-and-journalists-taliban-intensify-crackdown/
Seven Journalists and Media Workers Detained by Taliban in Recent Weeks: AFJC
