RASC News Agency: The Freedom Front, in a statement commemorating March 17 National Journalists’ Day, has strongly condemned the deteriorating state of press freedom under Taliban rule. The group called on the media community, civil society activists, and the general public to resist the sweeping restrictions imposed on journalists and independent reporting. The statement reads: “In previous years, National Journalists’ Day served as an opportunity to honor the role of journalists in informing the public and to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for press freedom. However, since the Taliban’s takeover, the media landscape has suffered an unprecedented crackdown and stagnation.” The Freedom Front further noted that female journalists have been disproportionately affected, with many losing their jobs and being barred from working in the media sector altogether.
The Freedom Front asserts that criticism of Taliban officials has become intolerable, and journalists who report contrary to the group’s narrative face arrest, torture, and constant threats. The statement also decries severe restrictions on individual and social freedoms, highlighting that ordinary citizens are subjected to interrogation, humiliation, and punishment simply for the content found on their mobile phones. The Front also warns of a deepening intellectual and cultural crisis, noting that thousands of books have been arbitrarily confiscated without content review, while publishing houses and printing presses face imminent bankruptcy, and academic and specialized research has effectively ground to a halt.
Furthermore, the Freedom Front emphasizes that supporting anti-Taliban forces is crucial to restoring the fundamental rights and freedoms of Afghanistani citizens. The state of press freedom in Afghanistan under Taliban rule has been described as catastrophic, with international watchdogs repeatedly sounding the alarm over escalating repression against journalists. According to the Center for Journalists, violations against media professionals and press institutions have surged by 24% in the past year. In a special report published ahead of National Journalists’ Day, the organization documented at least 172 cases of media rights violations, including the forced closure of 22 media outlets and the arrest of 50 journalists by the Taliban.
The report further underscores that the systematic suppression of press freedom has intensified under the Taliban’s opaque and arbitrary media policies, resulting in unprecedented levels of censorship, persecution, and the dismantling of independent journalism across the country.
