According to a recent report by the Afghanistan Journalist Support Organisation (AJSO) on International Press Freedom Day, the Islamic Emirate’s rise to power in Afghanistan has had devastating consequences for the country’s media landscape. The AJSO’s findings show that 84% of female journalists in Afghanistan have lost their jobs since the Taliban took control.
The Islamic Emirate shut down over 65% of media outlets, and 43% of them ceased operations in the first three months after the takeover.
The AJSO also reported that 15 provinces in Afghanistan have no female journalists or media professionals. Furthermore, violence against journalists has escalated dramatically, with 237 documented incidents occurring after the Islamic Emirate took power, including 94 detentions and 49 kidnappings in Kabul. The Afghanistan Journalists Centre (AFJC) recorded at least 213 instances of harassment, threats, and arrests of journalists between May 2022 and May 2023.
The Organisation for the Protection of Journalists estimates that around 200 journalists and their families are now facing an uncertain future in Pakistan. Despite the exact number of expelled journalists being unknown, the AFJC noted that out of 213 occurrences of violence against journalists, 6 included physical assault, 115 involved threats, 70 involved arrests, and 21 involved journalists themselves. The Islamic Emirate’s rule has violated the principles of freedom of speech and media, and the right to access information, which has resulted in severe consequences for Afghan journalists and media professionals.