UN warns that new media restrictions in Afghanistan are fueling widespread fear, tightening control, and significantly increasing self-censorship among journalists.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed serious concern over a new media directive issued by the Taliban. The agency warned that the policy, which requires pre-approval of political programs and guests by the Taliban government, will increase fear and self-censorship among Afghanistan media outlets.

UNAMA’s statement, released on Thursday, July 10, 2025, on X, said the new guidelines formalize previous restrictive actions and further erode press freedom in the country. The move follows a pattern of escalating media censorship since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has circulated a four-page document titled “Policy for Holding Political Programs (Roundtables) in Afghanistan” to local media. This directive obliges outlets to submit all political content to the ministry before broadcasting. Participants in such programs must receive prior approval and ID cards from the Taliban.

The ministry has further instructed media to criticize Taliban officials only in a “respectful manner” and within what it describes as the framework of Islamic law. Analysts view these instructions as a veiled threat to independent journalism.

Since reclaiming power, the Taliban have dramatically restricted press freedom, silenced dissent, and jailed or intimidated journalists. Their new media policy institutionalizes these crackdowns by placing direct editorial control under government scrutiny.

These developments have contributed to Afghanistan’s plummet in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), where it ranks 175th out of 180 countries with just 17.88 points—a stark drop compared to previous years.

The international community, including media watchdogs and human rights groups, has called on the Taliban to reverse these draconian measures. Without urgent action, Afghanistan risks becoming one of the most repressive environments in the world for free expression and independent journalism.