Asia - Pacific
Afghanistan
-
Index 2023
152/ 180
Score : 39.75
Political indicator
120
48.96
Economic indicator
103
44.93
Legislative indicator
145
42.77
Social indicator
165
30.68
Security indicator
161
31.41
Index 2022
156/ 180
Score : 38.27
Political indicator
132
44.65
Economic indicator
82
43.88
Legislative indicator
152
42.54
Social indicator
161
43.33
Security indicator
171
16.96

The Taliban’s rise to power has had serious repercussions for the respect of press freedom and the safety of journalists, especially women.

Media landscape

The fall of Kabul to the Taliban on 15 August 2021 radically changed the media landscape. In the space of three months, 43% of Afghan media outlets disappeared. Of the 10,780 people working in Afghan newsrooms (8,290 men and 2,490 women) at the beginning of August, only 4,360 were still working in December (3,950 men and 410 women), or four out of ten journalists. Proportionally, women have been much more affected: more than four in five (84%) have lost their jobs since the arrival of the Taliban, whereas only one in two men have (52%).

Political context

The Taliban announced the formation of their government, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, on 7 September 2021. This has made the situation very confusing for journalists because they receive directives from many different parts of the government, including the Minister of Culture and Information, the Istikhbarat (the Taliban intelligence agency), the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Repression of Vice, and the Government Media and Information Centre (GMIC).

Legal framework

On 3 February 2022, government spokesperson and acting Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, Zabihullah Mujahid, confirmed that the press law enacted in March 2015 was still in force. The creation of a Media Offences Verification Commission is also being considered.

Economic context

The economy, which depended to a significant degree on international aid, has collapsed. According to the UN, more than 22.8 million people will face acute food insecurity in the near future. This context has further undermined the media and made journalism more precarious

Sociocultural context

Many subjects are difficult or impossible for the media to cover in Afghanistan. Subjects related to religion, the status of women and human rights in general are off limits. But civil society seems to have recovered some energy in recent months and several organisations, including those for the defence of press freedom, have been created or are being developed.

Safety

Many journalists have fled abroad as a result of the Taliban takeover. Many others have been questioned or arrested by the Afghan police and the Istikhbarat. These arrests can be violent and can last from a few hours to several weeks.