Protestors shout slogans condemning the deportation of Afghan refugees at a Karachi rally organised by women’s rights movement ‘Aurat March’ on October 29, 2023. Credit: Rizwan Tabassum / AFP

Prior to the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, 2021, Afghanistan’s media scene flourished – with 160 television stations, 311 radio stations, 90 newspapers, and 26 news agencies providing a platform for independent reporting. But as the Taliban imposed control post-August 2021, this vibrant media ecosystem has been crushed, further mirroring the broader crisis facing the Afghan population. Today, over 1.6 million Afghans live in exile, grappling with de-facto authoritarianism and rising self-censorship.

Despite fluctuating constitutional freedoms during the nation’s republic era, the current media landscape in Afghanistan heralds as the worst humanitarian crisis for press workers – compounded by insurgent forces and forecasting countless impunities for the years to come. Fundamental media freedoms have severely curtailed, rendering the Access to Information Law obsolete. With stringent restrictions on reporting and a systematic erosion of editorial independence, Afghan media has become minimised to regime propaganda and completely stripped of any journalistic autonomy.

The IFJ’s South Asia Press Freedom Report 2023-24 (SAPFR 23-24) recorded 14 unlawful arrests of journalists, with reported incidents of disappearances, humiliation, legal summoning and torture. In addition, the Afghan Independent Journalists Union (AIJU) documented 85 cases of violence against journalists in 2023, including different forms of aggression and arduous interrogations disguised as ‘routine’ press meetings. On April 17, 2024, two private TV stations in Kabul were shut down for “violating national and Islamic values”. On July 22 of that same year, Afghan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) suspended 17 broadcast licenses of 14 media outlets in eastern Nangarhar, with the Taliban’s Ministry of Communications and Informational Technology informing the outlets their licenses were temporarily withdrawn due to “non-payment of taxes”.

Unable to work without a fear of reprisal or retaliation, nearly 30-35 percent of media professionals fled the country immediately following the takeover – with many seeking asylum in neighbouring Iran and Pakistan. While some affiliated with international media outlets evacuated to North America and Europe, others journeyed to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey in hopes of working in exile or possibly relocating to third countries.

For journalists such as Syed Idris Sadat, leaving the country was merely the first hurdle: “Fleeing Afghanistan is a very complex challenge that has many legal and emotional dimensions. It is very difficult to obtain travel documents, and it takes months to obtain a valid passport or visa.” Working as a senior journalist for Tolo News and Kabul News, Idris and his coworkers were placed under constant surveillance, with the Taliban naming the outlets as “spies for Western countries”. Whilst in hiding in Nangarhar in early 2023, Taliban Intelligence Forces raided his family home, threatening to kill his mother, wife and sister if he did not comply with the regime. On July 12, 2023, Idrees left Afghanistan with his family of seven through the Torkham border and arrived in Pakistan: “We chose this route to avoid security checks at Kabul airport. I can honestly say that I have not yet come to terms with the situation and the challenges of migration, but I am trying to adapt and live until a destiny is chosen for us.”

Pakistan’s refugee crisis stifles the future of Afghan media

Successive conflicts and civil wars have resulted in counts of Afghan refugees in the millions, one of the largest protracted refugee crisis in the world. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimate that over 3.7 million Afghans currently reside in Pakistan, with only 1.3 million registered as refugees. Approximately 200 Afghan journalists have been documented as refugees in Pakistan, with many facing barriers to visa renewal, healthcare expenses and access to education.

Faizan* recounts the legal challenges to adjusting to life in Pakistan, making note of the “complicated” and “time-consuming” nature to start work: “You must be legally registered for two months and have an exit stamp and an entry stamp to extend your stay. Not being able to speak the language is the biggest obstacle to connecting with people, finding a job, or carrying out daily tasks. Many journalists in exile rely on international funding or NGO assistance, but these resources are limited, and competition is high.”

In the weeks following the takeover, the IFJ’s Safety Fund managed to aid over 1,000 journalists before the funds were exhausted. Coordinating with governments and international organisations, the IFJ assisted in the process of visas, relocation and resettlement of Afghan journalists in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America. But as Faizan says, the demand remains persistent and the fallout for Afghanistan’s journalists continues.

On February 26, 2023, Afghan refugees protested outside the National Press Club in Islamabad, following stalled Priority 1 and Priority 2 refugee programs that fast-track the relocation of “at-risk” Afghans, including journalists. Nine months later, Interior Minister Safraz Bugti directed the removal of all undocumented immigrants and refugees in Pakistan by November 1, warning either provincial or federal law enforcement agencies would be ordered to deport those failing to comply with the directive. Over 20,000 Afghans were directly deported, while over 350,000 left by their own accord.

Previously imprisoned and tortured by the Taliban for publishing anti-regime media content, Faizan now fears persecution from Pakistani authorities will cost him his life: “Whether I have legal or illegal documents, we [Afghan journalists] will be deported and there is a possibility of death if we return. I have discussed this with human rights organisations, but they have not paid any attention.”

With digital reporting being the only alternative to continue work, Idris says he remains “extra cautious” in publishing content online, knowing the regime’s goals of “control of the information space [that] prevents further damage to their image”. An 11-rule decree forces Afghan journalists to have their stories approved by the Taliban before publication and are restricted from broadcasting content which acts “contrary to Islam”. Although some online news platforms are still permitted to operate, those that challenge the regime’s interests face content filtering, selective access restrictions and the imminent threat of having their licences revoked and premises raided.

Female journalists bear the brunt of the crisis

On 21 August 2024, the Taliban’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada issued the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law, laying out duties, powers and punishments available to the enforcers of the Ministry. Within the 35-article law, women are “duty-bound” to veil their face and body to “prevent social disorder or chaos which in itself can facilitate sin.” Since then, the Taliban ‘morality police’ have issued over 100 decrees and directives that violate women’s and girl’s rights under international and Afghan national law – including banning girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and employment with non-governmental organisations.

Following international condemnation over the law, the Taliban revised their media strategy to be one of “reform”, re-iterating the regime’s “utmost commitment to inclusivity” for women. Attempting to depict themselves as “patriots, legitimate negotiators and leaders committed to human rights”, the Taliban assured the group would govern transparently. In the first press conference following the group’s takeover, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said the Islamic Emirate is “committed to the rights of women within the framework of Sharia” and “private media can continue to be free and independent.”

A year on, the numbers prove otherwise.

As of 2022, 87% of Afghan female journalists reported enduring gender discrimination, while 60% were forced to abandon their careers entirely. An additional 79% faced verbal and physical threats, including abuse by Taliban authorities to shape reporting according to de-facto regime. 91% of women were the sole economic providers of their families, amplifying the repercussions of displacement. Underscored by the public interaction bans of the law, 87% of female journalists expressed fear in returning to work.

According to International Media Support (IMS), only 600 female journalists remain in the country– with the IFJ SAPFR 23-24 documenting no female journalists operating in the south or south-eastern regions. Journalist for Rabia Balkhi Media and women’s right activist, Khalida Nabizada, says to have witnessed a rapid degradation of the media: “We were active, which means that the working environment and opportunities were favourable for us. In fact, all of us female journalists could freely raise our voices and defend our rights in every field.”

Forced to leave behind her family and face far more dilemmas than her male colleagues, Khalida expresses concern for female journalists continuing to work in Afghanistan: “I had to leave and become an immigrant – it’s not easy. When a female journalist decides to immigrate, she takes on many things that are difficult to describe. Now, being a woman in our country is a crime. They banned women from going to work. They stopped girls from going to school. They banned women from speaking in public. These are all threats. Yes, we Afghan women will never be safe.”

The road ahead relies on continued union advocacy

In August 2023, the IFJ and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) established two solidarity centres in Islamabad to aid Afghan journalists, supported by UNESCO. With one centre exclusively for women journalists, provision of emergency housing, legal and psychological support proved imperative for those awaiting visa or settlement applications. However, there is still substantial work to be done to foster a climate conducive to a free and vibrant media landscape in Afghanistan.

In survey conducted by Pakistan-based organisation ‘Freedom Network’ (FN) with 35 exiled Afghan journalists from 2021-2022, 74% expressed the need to increase coverage of Afghan journalists by engaging with international media, followed by Afghan media (31%) and Pakistani media (14%). In terms of seeking resources to assist in producing content, respondents called on the need for digital journalism training (49%), access to press clubs (20%) and safety defence classes (17%).

Idrees echoes that comprehensive support from unions is needed to enable journalists to work to their full potential, “only then can we fight for free journalism and expose the realities of life under Taliban rule”. Faizan says while returning to Afghanistan would not be possible anytime soon, media unions and press organisations should continue to build networks of support for Afghan journalists: “Holding workshops and conferences by supporting both exiled and domestic journalists with financial resources and upgrading their technical knowledge can help sustain independent journalism in the country.”

The stories of Idris, Faizan and Khalida represent just a few of the thousands of exiled journalists, whose defiance in the face of authoritarian repression serves as a profound testament to press freedom. As international bodies are called to support Afghan media professionals, there remains hope in reversing the damage caused and restoring a flourishing media industry in Afghanistan once again.

*Name has been changed for anonymity.

Siana Uprety is a graduate student from the University of Technology, Sydney, and currently working in Communcations at the International Federation of Journalists Asia-Pacific.