Web Desk: A media rights group has expressed serious concern over what it described as increasing violence, arbitrary detentions, and strict censorship of journalists under Taliban rule, warning that press freedom in Afghanistan is facing severe deterioration.
The Afghanistan Media Support Organization (AMSO) said that several journalists, including Shakib Ahmad Nazari, Bashir Hatif, and Hamid Farhadi, remain in detention under conditions it described as alarming.
In a statement, the group said that arbitrary arrests and prolonged detentions of journalists have deepened an atmosphere of fear, pressure, and insecurity across the country.
It added that reporters attempting to report factual information are increasingly being silenced through intimidation, coercion, and censorship.
AMSO said the detained journalists were performing their professional duties by reporting information for the public. It further stated that their continued detention violates internationally recognized legal standards and media freedom principles.
Meanwhile, media experts and rights advocates said the situation reflects a broader pattern of tightening restrictions on independent journalism in Afghanistan.
They argued that sustained pressure on the media appears aimed at controlling narratives and limiting scrutiny of governance challenges.
According to analysts, such restrictions have contributed to an environment where self-censorship is becoming increasingly common among reporters.
Critics further claim that the Taliban’s approach to media regulation is part of a wider effort to suppress dissent and consolidate authority.
They say restrictions on journalism, combined with reports of human rights concerns, have raised questions within the international community about press freedom standards in the country.
Despite repeated concerns raised by media organisations, conditions for journalists on the ground continue to remain uncertain.
Read more: Security forces nab three key operatives linked to India’s RAW
