In Afghanistan, the number of provinces where the filming and broadcasting of images of living beings has been banned has reached 15, Fergana news agency reports, citing the Afghan Journalists' Center (AFJC).
The ban was introduced in accordance with Article 17, Section 3 of the Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice. Local authorities are instructed not to allow journalists and private individuals to take photos or videos of meetings and events under any circumstances.
"The directive clearly states that any violations will lead to lawsuits," noted the AFJC.
Local media outlets have also received verbal instructions from the authorities to ensure compliance with the law.
Television channels now broadcast reports exclusively in audio format, supplementing them with images of inanimate objects, landscapes, buildings, and interiors.
Since the passage of the Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice in August 2024, the ban has been implemented in 15 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces.
The list includes Kandahar, Takhar, Badghis, Helmand, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Farah, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Nimroz, Jawzjan, Zabul, Parwan, Bamyan, and Kunduz.
The AFJC condemned the ban on showing living beings, stating that such restrictions violate the principles of freedom of speech and access to information, contradict Afghan media laws, and threaten the work of journalists.
"It is extremely important to support media freedom and guarantee journalists the ability to carry out their duties without fear and without being put in danger," emphasized the AFJC.
According to the AFJC, as of March this year, there are 470 media outlets operating in Afghanistan, including 84 television stations, 273 radio stations, 57 news agencies, and 52 print publications.
