"32 Journalists Detained in Afghanistan Following Taliban's Return to Power"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] It has been reported that more than 32 journalists have been detained since the Islamic militant group Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

Major foreign media outlets, citing the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) on the 1st, stated, "Most of the detained journalists were released after being warned about their reporting, but some were also assaulted." The organization added that as of that day, at least one person remains detained with restricted access to their family.

HRW also pointed out problems with the new media regulations recently announced by the Taliban's interim government's Ministry of Information and Culture. The regulations are so broad and vague that they effectively block critical reporting on the government.

Patricia Gossman, HRW's Asia director, said, "The Taliban claimed they would allow media to operate so that 'respected Islamic values' could function, but the new regulations are suffocating media freedom." According to HRW, the Taliban's new media regulations prohibit reports that are against Islam or insult national figures.

The regulations also require that issues not confirmed by officials or those that could negatively influence public attitudes should not be reported. Gossman said the new media regulations are so comprehensive that journalists are self-censoring and fear imprisonment.

Earlier, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an international press organization, revealed that at least 14 journalists were detained and then released by the Taliban within two days in early last month while covering women's rights protests in the capital Kabul.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.