KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Television stations in southern Helmand province are on the brink of closure as the Taliban expand restrictions on broadcasting images of living beings, according to a media watchdog.
In a statement on Friday, the Afghanistan Journalist Center (AFJC) announced that the Taliban authorities in Helmand have issued an official directive prohibiting the broadcast of images of living beings in the province.
The AFJC statement says that the directive issued by the Taliban Directorate of Information and Culture in Helmand bans live interviews, instructing media workers to use only written or audio formats and static images or graphics in their programs.
The Taliban’s decision affects two active television stations in Helmand: the Taliban-controlled National Television and the private Sabawoon TV, both of which are at risk of shutting down.
Helmand is the fourth province, following Kandahar, Takhar, and Badghis, where the Taliban has officially implemented the ban that has led to the closure of TV stations.
AFJC cited journalists in Logar, Maidan Wardak, and Daikundi provinces who reported signs that similar measures may soon be implemented in those areas as well.
The media watchdog expressed concern over the latest measures, warning that such media restrictions could have serious implications for media operations, especially if extended to other provinces.
These measures follow the recent implementation of the Taliban’s Virtue and Vice laws, which impose stricter controls on media content, including a ban on images of living beings. Since regaining power, the Taliban has issued over 20 directives severely limiting press freedom and access to information.
The regime’s crackdown has resulted in the closure of over half of the country’s media outlets, including television and radio stations. Many journalists have fled the country or gone into hiding to escape reprisals. Female journalists, in particular, face increased restrictions, including gender-based segregation in workplaces and a ban on broadcasting women’s voices in certain provinces.
In a report in March, the Afghanistan Journalist’s Support Organization (AJSO), a German-based Afghan media watchdog, revealed that following the Taliban’s takeover, only 13 out of 91 print newspapers, 68 out of 248 TV channels, and 211 out of 438 radio stations remain operational in the country. The remaining outlets either relocated outside the country or shut down due to Taliban restrictions or financial challenges.
