AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The warning was issued in a statement marking the International Day for Universal Access to Information, observed annually on September 28. UNESCO recognised the day in 2015 to promote the legal guarantee of access to information and practical access to information for citizens.
According to the AFJC, Afghanistan has moved in the opposite direction since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. The organisation says at least 24 restrictive directives affecting freedom of expression and media activities have been issued since then, many of which it says conflict with Afghanistan’s media and access-to-information laws.
The centre said restrictions had increased systematically following the implementation of the Taliban's law on the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice. Measures cited by the organisation include restrictions on coverage of demonstrations, pre-publication censorship, limits on rebroadcasting international television programmes and the exclusion of women from media organisations.
The AFJC also pointed to the expansion of restrictions on broadcasting images of living beings to 25 provinces, which it says has contributed to the closure of dozens of television channels. Other restrictions cited include limits on smartphone use and measures that the organisation says have effectively criminalised independent journalism.
In its statement, the centre argued that the deterioration in access to information was not simply a consequence of Afghanistan’s long-running conflict, but the result of deliberate policies that have constrained journalists and limited the public’s access to information.
The AFJC called on the Taliban authorities to withdraw what it described as unlawful orders and directives that violate media legislation, end censorship and stop the detention of journalists.
The organisation also urged the international community to increase practical support for independent media outlets and journalists facing risks in Afghanistan, stressing the importance of protecting access to information and freedom of journalism.
Your Comment