Kabul, May 6 (EFE) – The Taliban’s de facto government in Afghanistan ordered media outlets to remove or hide YouTube videos that could be considered contrary to Islamic values and Afghan traditions published before their return to power in August 2021.
“An official letter from the Directorate of Publications of the Ministry of Information and Culture has been sent to media outlets to remove content from YouTube channels that violate religious and cultural norms,” Ministry of Information and Culture spokesman Safiullah Rahid told EFE.
The purpose of the new measure, as stated in the letter sent to the media, is “to prevent the viewing and redistribution of such content through ‘likes,’ comments and other user interactions in the virtual space.”
Some Afghan media outlets, such as Tolo News or Ariana News, still have content on their YouTube channels published as early as 2012, mostly news broadcasts feature bare-faced women anchoring, which the Taliban regime banned.
The content affected by the directive includes more than a decade’s worth of archived information about Afghanistan, including numerous bombings or attacks carried out by the Taliban during the Afghan Republic’s rule.
Press freedom has declined dramatically since the Taliban’s return to power.
Hundreds of media outlets have been closed and many journalists have left the country in fear as others continue to be arrested and threatened.
One of the most recent restrictions is a ban on broadcasting images of living creatures, drastically reducing the media’s ability to operate.
Afghanistan, already one of the most dangerous countries for journalists before August 2021, ranked 175th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index 2025 by Reporters Without Borders. EFE
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