World Press Freedom Day: From Threats to Detention and Killings, Systematic Crackdown on Journalists Under Taliban Rule
Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, press freedom and safety of journalists have significantly worsened. During this time, journalists have faced severe restrictions, threats, arbitrary detention, torture, and in some cases even killings.
In its latest report, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said that with the Taliban’s return to power, the “death knell for press freedom and journalists’ safety, especially for women journalists, has been sounded,” leaving the future of media in Afghanistan increasingly bleak.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), in a report released for World Press Freedom Day, also raised concerns about the growing repression of media freedom and the continued detention of journalists. According to the report, at least 150 violations of media freedom have been recorded since May 2025. Apart from two employees of the state broadcaster who were killed and another injured in airstrikes attributed to Pakistani forces, the Taliban were responsible for all other incidents. The report documented at least 127 threats and 20 arrests of journalists. Among those detained, five were arrested for not having a beard of the length required by the Taliban, while others were detained for not complying with the Taliban policies. Four journalists remain in prison.
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Media Support Organization (AMSO) reported that between August 2021 and July 2025, at least 539 cases of violence against journalists were recorded, 487 against men and 52 against women. By August 2025, at least two media workers had been killed, 20 injured, and 253 detained.
At the same time, Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, described press freedom in the country as “collapsing” and called on the Taliban to immediately and unconditionally release all detained journalists. He said journalists are now working in a “restrictive and hostile” environment, where censorship, widespread surveillance, and heavy restrictions have created a climate of fear and self-censorship.
Journalists inside Afghanistan also speak of an environment of fear and intimidation. Maryam (pseudonym), a journalist in Kabul told Tawazon: “Being a journalist in the current situation is more than just challenging. The media is under strict Taliban control. Every day I face threats, censorship, and discrimination. I have been threatened many times and repeatedly taken to security offices. They told me that if I do not follow their rule, neither I nor my family will be safe.”
Atiqullah Rahimi, an Afghan journalist in exile, told Tawazon: “I was repeatedly threatened by the Taliban and was eventually arrested in March 2024. I was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location. Three other journalists were detained with me. The Taliban interrogated us in a harsh and violent manner. Fortunately, I did not have my phone with me, so they had no evidence to keep me detained for long. But I remained under surveillance. After my release I could no longer continue working in Afghanistan and was forced to leave the country. Even now, I still receive threatening messages and calls and my family has also been repeatedly threatened.”
Reports also indicate that detained journalists have faced physical abuse, torture, and in some cases forced confessions. The situation of several detainees, including Shekib Ahmad Nazari and Hamid Farhadi, remains concerning. Nazari was arrested in July 2025 on charges of collaborating with foreign media and later sentenced to three years in prison. Farhadi was also arrested in September 2024 on similar charges, sentenced to two years in prison, and transferred to Bagram prison.
The situation is even more difficult for women journalists. According to RSF, eight out of ten women journalists have been forced to leave their jobs. Those who continue working face serious restrictions, discrimination, and harassment.
Media analysts warn that if this trend continues, the future of journalism in Afghanistan will face serious risk. Abdul Qahar Sarwari, a university lecturer and journalist, said: “Media organizations need professional capacity, resources, and legal and security support to operate effectively. Journalists need protection and safety. When media workers are not secure and cannot work freely, society is deprived of access to independent and reliable information.”
While World Press Freedom Day is marked globally with an emphasis on freedom of expression, the situation remains deeply alarming. Arrests, threats, and censorship continue on a wide scale and many cases of violence and killings of journalists remain unresolved.
This situation has made Afghanistan one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists and media work.