Amnesty says Taliban systematically suppressing Afghan media

KABUL: Amnesty International has reported that the Taliban’s revocation of licenses for organizations supporting media and journalists is part of a systematic effort to suppress media freedom in Afghanistan. The organization stated on its X account that the Taliban must immediately reverse this decision and allow media entities to operate without threats and pressure. Amnesty International warned that this new decision exacerbates the situation for independent media, eliminating the last remaining paths for professional support and the safety of journalists. This comes after the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture announced on January 26 that only three organizations out of the media support entities had their licenses renewed, while the others were revoked. The ministry did not disclose the names of these organizations. Afghanistan’s Media Center has reported that the Taliban has canceled the operating licenses of at least ten media support organizations and allowed only the Journalist Safety Committee and two newly established organizations to continue their activities. Since regaining power, the Taliban has imposed extensive restrictions on the media, previously detaining journalists and shutting down a number of media outlets.