Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – In a dramatic shift, at least two TV channels in Afghanistan’s northern Takhar province have ceased showing images of living beings as part of a Taliban directive, local journalists reported on October 15. This move aligns with a recent mandate issued by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV), which bans news media from using photos and videos of anything with a soul — including people and animals.
The new regulation is part of a broader legal framework rooted in the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic law, which has been progressively re-imposed since the group regained control of the country in 2021. An AFP journalist in Takhar revealed that the private Mah-e-Naw channel replaced visuals with an audio broadcast and its logo on October 15, while the state broadcaster RTA aired national programming without local news.
Officials from PVPV, speaking anonymously, confirmed that all regional media in Takhar had been prohibited from broadcasting or taking images of living beings. Journalists have expressed fear of reprisals if they fail to comply with these new restrictions, which were reinforced after a PVPV-led meeting in the province on October 13. Media outlets that defy the law risk facing legal action.
The law is set to be enforced nationwide in phases, with similar meetings taking place in other provinces. Saiful Islam Khyber, a spokesperson for PVPV, stated that this gradual implementation is designed to align media practices with Islamic law by convincing the public that broadcasting images of living things is forbidden. Other articles in the law include restrictions on mocking Islam or contradicting Islamic teachings.
The order echoes a similar ban imposed during the Taliban’s previous rule from 1996 to 2001, though it had not been universally enforced since their return to power.
