Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Monday, 10 August declared that the Taliban has systematically dismantled press freedom across Afghanistan over the past five years, with each successive directive further narrowing the space available to journalists and independent media organisations. The assessment marks a grim milestone since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021.

Scale of the Crackdown

According to RSF, the Taliban has issued more than 20 national directives and several provincial decrees since seizing control, all aimed at dismantling independent journalism in the country. Verbal orders communicated by Taliban officials have compounded the written restrictions, effectively stifling the broader media landscape.

'Journalism is increasingly throttled as criticism of the regime is forbidden, women face sweeping restrictions, political debate has been silenced, and broadcasting images of living beings is banned. Reporters Without Borders calls for an end to this crackdown,' the watchdog said in its statement.

Secret Criminal Code Crosses a New Line

RSF flagged a significant escalation in January 2026, when the Taliban quietly adopted a Code of Criminal Procedure for its courts — a document that only came to light after a leak. While the code makes no explicit mention of the press, it provides no protection for media professionals and does not exempt them from its provisions, leaving journalists exposed to severe legal penalties including imprisonment.

Critically, the code criminalises insults directed at Taliban leadership and punishes any contact with government opponents — effectively writing the ban on criticism into law and formally codifying censorship, according to RSF.

Women Journalists 'All but Erased'

RSF's statement drew particular attention to the near-total erasure of women from Afghanistan's media landscape. Female journalists have faced sweeping restrictions that have, in practice, driven them out of the profession entirely. The watchdog noted that hundreds of Afghan journalists — women and men — have been compelled to flee the country to escape repression, preserve their lives, and continue their work from abroad.

RSF's Call to Action

Celia Mercier, head of the RSF South Asia Desk, said: 'In five years, the Taliban have methodically turned Afghanistan into a prison for information. Every new directive further shrinks the space for journalists and independent media. The ban on criticism is now written into law, formally codifying censorship. Women journalists have been all but erased, debate has been silenced, and every independent voice is prosecuted. By criminalising media professionals, the de facto authorities are seeking absolute control over the flow of information.'

Mercier called for the repeal of every provision that restricts press freedom in Afghanistan. She also urged host countries to recognise the danger that deportation or forced return poses to Afghan media professionals who have sought refuge abroad.

What Comes Next

With censorship now embedded in Afghanistan's legal code and no international accountability mechanism in place, press freedom advocates warn that conditions for journalists inside the country are unlikely to improve in the near term. The RSF report adds to a growing body of documentation that international bodies and governments may face pressure to act on — particularly regarding the treatment of Afghan journalists seeking asylum.