This Is What It's Like To Be A Journalist Under Taliban Rule

Afghan journalists are forbidden from broadcasting or publishing stories that are critical of the Taliban.

Reporters who cross that red line have been arrested and jailed, beaten in custody, or threatened and harassed.

But journalists don't just face restrictions on which issues they can cover. They are also severely limited in how they report stories and who they can interview.

Women and girls are banned from appearing on TV or radio programs. Male reporters, meanwhile, are barred from interviewing women and vice versa.

This is what it is like to be a journalist in Afghanistan nearly three years after the Taliban seized power. The militants have transformed the once-vibrant media landscape in the war-torn country, where censorship is now rife and dissent has been largely stamped out.

"It is impossible to be a journalist under the Taliban," a female reporter based in central Afghanistan told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi.

The reporter, like others interviewed for this story, spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

'Red Lines'

After regaining power in 2021, the Taliban initially promised to allow a free press. But its hard-line government soon waged a violent crackdown on independent media.

Scores of reporters and media workers have been imprisoned or physically attacked. The Taliban has shut down dozens of media outlets. Hundreds of journalists have fled the country out of fear.

Only a few independent media outlets still operate under the Taliban. But their journalists face severe restrictions and often resort to self-censorship.

Covering issues like "insecurity, human rights, and corruption" are off-limits, said a Kabul-based editor who works for a major broadcaster.

Taliban officials often instruct journalists to "report only on issues" that put them in a more positive light, the editor said.

The Taliban has also told broadcasters not to interview ordinary Afghans on the streets in a bid to prevent criticism of the group.

The Afghan Women Journalists Association holds a press conference in Kabul in November 2023.

"We are also not allowed now to invite Afghans living abroad to participate in programs," the editor said. "It is forbidden to include the views of the Taliban's opponents."

A reporter based in northern Afghanistan says he tried to investigate reports of alleged sexual abuse in Taliban-run madrasahs, or Islamic seminaries, and the Taliban’s decision to award lucrative mining contracts to state-run companies. But he dropped the stories for fear of reprisals.

"Such issues are completely off-limits," he told Radio Azadi.

'I Can't Go Out'

The Taliban’s restrictions on the media have disproportionately affected women.

The militants have imposed severe restrictions on women's appearances, freedom of movement, and right to education and work.

Afghan journalists attend a press conference by former Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul in February 2022.

"I can't go out now and report," said the female reporter based in central Afghanistan, adding that she is barred from interviewing men and cannot travel far from home without a male chaperone.

Another female reporter from central Afghanistan says she was called in for questioning after reporting on a protest by women against the Taliban's repressive policies.

"I was asked why I report on such issues," she told Radio Azadi. "They asked me, 'Are you against the government?'"

She says the officials threatened her and said she would face "serious consequences" if she reported on any unsanctioned rallies again.

In broadcast media, there are even more restrictions.

Female TV presenters have been forced to wear a black robe and head scarf with only their eyes visible.

TV and radio stations have been banned from broadcasting female voices and accepting call-ins from women.

Growing Censorship

The Taliban's crackdown on journalists appears to be intensifying.

In recent months, the militant group has imposed new restrictions on female journalists' appearances, banned some women from accessing radio and TV programs, and prohibited the filming or photographing of Taliban officials.

SEE ALSO: The Azadi Briefing: Taliban Deals Another Blow To Afghan Media

On April 22, three radio journalists were detained in the southeastern province of Khost after they allegedly aired music and received calls from female listeners during broadcasts. They were all released on April 28.

The Taliban suspended the operations of two private TV stations based in Kabul on April 17 for violating "national and Islamic values."

The Taliban has issued "11 rules for journalists" that prohibit the publication or broadcasting of reports that are "contrary to Islam," and which discourage the reporting of news that has not been confirmed by Taliban officials.

The Taliban's message in clear, said a print journalist based in Kabul: Do not publish or broadcast "anything critical of the government."

The Kabul-based editor says the Taliban's ongoing persecution and harassment of journalists are forcing more journalists to abandon their professions or flee their homeland.

"Everyone I know just wants to escape abroad," they said.