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November 27, 2024 – Afghanistan –
The United Nations has issued a scathing report urging the Taliban to end its systematic repression of journalists and ensure media freedom in Afghanistan. Covering the period from August 15, 2021, to September 30, 2024, the joint report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) documents 336 cases of human rights violations against Afghan media professionals.
These include 256 instances of arbitrary arrest and detention, 81 incidents of ill-treatment or torture, and 75 cases of threats and intimidation. The majority of victims were targeted for reporting deemed critical of Taliban policies or for covering issues such as protests, women’s rights, and corruption. The report highlights that journalists operate under vague and inconsistently enforced rules, with little legal recourse or transparency.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and UNAMA head Roza Otunbayeva stressed that media freedom is essential for any functioning society and warned that the current environment is leading to self-censorship, fear, and a silencing of vital public discourse. Otunbayeva emphasized the particular vulnerability of female journalists, who face both gender-based restrictions and broader press crackdowns.
The Taliban, in response, dismissed the UN’s findings and defended their actions as lawful, claiming journalists were arrested only for legitimate offenses. They also asserted that women continue to work in media “under certain moral conditions,” though rights groups have repeatedly pointed to a near-total erasure of women from public media roles since the group took power.
Despite these challenges, some Afghan media outlets—like TOLO News and exiled platforms such as Amu TV—continue to operate, striving to deliver independent news to domestic audiences and the diaspora. These outlets serve as rare lifelines of credible information in a landscape dominated by censorship and propaganda.
The UN report has prompted renewed international calls for the Taliban to honor basic freedoms and halt repression of the press. Without accountability and legal protections, Afghan journalism risks collapse, silencing a critical pillar of civil society at a time when transparent reporting is more vital than ever.
Reference –
UN Calls on Taliban to Protect Journalists and Ensure Media Freedom in Afghanistan
UN urges Taliban to protect journalists, ensure media freedom in Afghanistan
