January 7, 2026
Trinkut, Urozgan Province— The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) condemns the recent decision by the de facto authorities in Urozgan Province to prohibit the publication of images of living beings and to restrict video interviews. This ban has led to the closure of the provincial branch of the national television station and has adversely impacted visual content production for local radio broadcasts. These measures exemplify ongoing efforts to suppress independent journalism and restrict public access to information.
In a statement on January 6, the de facto Directorate of Information and Culture in Urozgan cited instructions from Maulavi Abdulhai Omari, head of the de facto Department of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, during a meeting with local journalists. Omari instructed them to cease publishing images of living beings and conducting video interviews. He warned journalists that, according to Article 17 of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Law, the publication of images of living beings is prohibited, and violations would be met with legal repercussions.
A local journalist who requested anonymity due to safety concerns told AFJC that, following this instruction, the provincial branch of the National Television (RTA) has ceased operations and switched to radio mode. He added that the recent restrictions have significantly impacted the work of other local media outlets operating online. Currently, in addition to the provincial branches of national radio and television, Radio Paiwastoon, Shamaa, Salaam Urozgan, Taroon, and Taalimul Islam radios remain active in the province. Furthermore, local journalists working with national and external media have been warned not to take photographs or conduct video interviews.
This edict follows a pattern of similar restrictions imposed across 23 other provinces since the issuance of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Law in August 2024, where dozens of media outlets have been shuttered or converted into radio stations.
The restriction not only hampers journalists’ ability to report accurately and safely but also deprives the public of vital information during a critical time when access to independent news is more essential than ever.
AFJC urges the de facto authorities to immediately lift this ban, uphold media freedoms, and ensure that journalists can operate without fear of censorship or repression.
AFJC calls on the international community to press for the protection of press freedom in Afghanistan. The de facto authorities must respect free press as a fundamental component of accountability and democratic development; restricting it only deepens the cycle of repression and misinformation.