Amnesty Condemns Taliban’s “Final Blow” to Afghan Media with Shutdown of Support Organizations

LONDON/KABUL – Amnesty International issued a stark warning on Tuesday that the Taliban’s revocation of licenses for nearly all media support organizations represents a systematic campaign to eradicate the last vestiges of press freedom in Afghanistan, effectively silencing critical journalism through isolation and fear.

The condemnation follows Monday’s announcement by the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture that it is canceling the operational licenses of all media support organizations except for three state-sanctioned bodies. Ministry spokesman Abdul Matin Qani claimed the targeted groups were “ineffective,” a justification flatly rejected by rights advocates and journalists.

“The Taliban are not just shutting down offices; they are deliberately severing the lifelines for independent journalism in Afghanistan,” said Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia. “This decision eliminates the final pillars of professional training, legal advocacy, and physical safety for reporters already operating in one of the world’s most repressive environments. It is a calculated move to suffocate the free press into oblivion.”

A Methodical Strangulation of the Press

Since regaining power in August 2021, the Taliban have methodically dismantled Afghanistan’s once-vibrant media landscape. Their regime has instituted a series of draconian edicts, most notably the total ban on women working as journalists. Male journalists face relentless intimidation, arbitrary arrests, torture, and prolonged detention for covering topics deemed sensitive by the authorities, such as protests, internal Taliban divisions, or critiques of governance.

This latest crackdown targets the vital infrastructure that has sustained the remaining press corps. The affected organizations—including bodies like the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), Nai Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan, and others—have provided essential services. These include safety training for conflict reporting, legal aid for detained journalists, psychosocial support, and advocacy against restrictive policies. Many had operated under formal licenses granted by the previous republic-era government.

“Before this, we could at least call an organization for help if a journalist was arrested or threatened. Now, that number to call is gone,” said a Kabul-based journalist who spoke to Amnesty on condition of anonymity. “They are making us utterly alone.”

A Climate of Fear and Financial Suffocation

Even prior to the license revocations, these support groups were operating under extreme duress. They reported persistent intimidation by Taliban intelligence officials, severe restrictions on their movements and activities, and crippling financial difficulties exacerbated by the freezing of international aid and banking sector collapse.

The Taliban’s decision now formalizes this de facto repression. By leaving only three approved organizations—all perceived as aligned with or controlled by the regime—the authorities seek to monopolize any remaining “support” apparatus, turning it into a tool for surveillance and control rather than genuine assistance.

“The Taliban are creating a media desert,” said Zakiullah Mohammadi, a researcher with the Afghanistan Journalists Center. “First, they silenced female voices. Then, they terrorized male journalists with violence and arrests. Now, they are destroying the very organizations that helped keep journalism alive. This is the final phase of a plan to ensure no independent information reaches the Afghan people or the outside world.”

International Calls for Reversal and Accountability

Amnesty International has called on the Taliban to immediately and unconditionally reverse the license cancellations and allow all media support organizations to operate freely and safely. They further urge the international community to hold the Taliban accountable for this blatant violation of the right to freedom of expression and to prioritize the protection of Afghan journalists in all diplomatic engagements.

The organization notes that with over 300 media outlets silenced since the Taliban takeover and more than 80% of women journalists forced from their profession, this latest action marks a catastrophic tipping point. It leaves Afghan journalists not only battling unprecedented censorship but also utterly abandoned, without a safety net in a country where their work has been rendered a deadly pursuit.

Amnesty International continues to monitor the situation closely and document attacks on press freedom as part of its ongoing research into human rights violations under the Taliban.

 

 

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