Taliban entered Kabul on August 15 and then set new rules for the Afghan media, especially television, by the government’s Ministry of Justice and Prohibition of Evil.
The regulations require all media outlets to align their broadcasts with “Islamic principles” and not to broadcast films “against the principles of Sharia and Afghan values.”
It also said that “foreign and domestic films that promote foreign culture and traditions in Afghan society and cause immorality in the society should not be published.” Afghan private television stations broadcast films and dramas from Pakistan, Turkey, Iran and India, among others.
The Taliban’s new rules for televisions also state that they must not insult anyone in their “entertainment” programs. The Taliban have also said they will not release “male-dominated films in which women are exposed.”
Hadi Sahar, 1TV producer, told VOA: “The authorities in the Islamic Emirate have asked us to stop broadcasting all the serials. We only broadcast Iranian serials now. ” He says the Taliban think the hijab is being considered in Iranian serials.
There used to be live music broadcasts on television, which are no longer the case, and six months after the advent of the Taliban, most domestic networks have stopped broadcasting such entertainment.
Most networks are now trying to produce Islamic programs that follow the Taliban’s lead.
Some reporters have said that “censorship” in the news is now considered normal. Under the Taliban government, journalists do not dare to criticize the government or its actions, whereas under the previous government, all television channels had critical broadcasts.
Female journalists now face special challenges. Fakhria Radfar, TOLOnews correspondent, told VOA: “In the past, we were allowed to go anywhere freely to report, but now that is not the case. For example, some ministries and offices do not allow women to enter.”
This is despite the fact that a large number of artists and journalists have fled Afghanistan since the Taliban’s second term. With foreign aid cut off, these networks face financial difficulties and constraints.
According to a survey by the International Federation of Journalists, more than 300 media outlets in Afghanistan have been shut down due to financial difficulties and Taliban restrictions. Thousands of media workers have lost their jobs, 70% of them women.
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