The Taliban government in Afghanistan has taken another step towards enforcing its strict interpretation of Islamic law by banning the display of pictures or videos of living beings on television.
This new directive, part of a broader set of rules formalized by the Taliban, has already been implemented in some northern provinces, with television channels being instructed to stop showing images of humans and animals.
The move marks a significant shift in the country’s media landscape, which has been steadily restricted since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
Implementation of the Ban in Takhar Province
The ban on displaying images of living things has started to take effect in the northern province of Takhar. According to journalists in the region, the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV) issued instructions on October 14, forbidding television channels from broadcasting visuals that show people or animals.
As a result, at least two TV channels in Takhar, including the private Mah-e-Naw channel, have complied with the order. On October 15, Mah-e-Naw stopped airing any visual content involving living beings, opting instead to show only its logo alongside an audio broadcast.
Even the state broadcaster RTA in Takhar adjusted its programming to align with the new restrictions. Rather than showing the usual evening provincial news, which often includes images of people, the channel switched to national programming that continued to feature living beings.
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However, the expectation is that local channels in the province, and eventually across the country, will follow the new directive more strictly as the Taliban works to impose the law nationwide.
Journalists in Takhar have expressed concern over the implications of this ban, particularly as it relates to their ability to report the news effectively. Many reporters, fearing legal repercussions or retaliation from the Taliban, have chosen to remain anonymous when discussing the new rules.
One journalist mentioned that after a meeting held by the PVPV on October 13, all regional media outlets were instructed to avoid visuals of living things in their broadcasts. This has raised concerns among the journalistic community about their ability to communicate news without visuals, as images are often crucial for conveying the reality of events.
Gradual Nationwide Implementation
While the ban has been enforced more strictly in Takhar province, it is part of a broader, gradual implementation plan set forth by the Taliban’s PVPV ministry. Meetings have been held in other provinces, signaling that the restrictions will be applied across Afghanistan in the coming months.
PVPV officials have stated that their goal is to persuade people that the depiction of living things on television goes against Islamic law, and they are working to achieve compliance gradually rather than imposing the rule suddenly.
This gradual approach to enforcement mirrors the broader strategy of the Taliban since regaining control of Afghanistan in 2021. The group has steadily reimposed its strict interpretation of Islamic law while seeking to avoid the kind of immediate backlash that occurred during its first period in power from 1996 to 2001.
During that era, similar bans on television, photography, and depictions of living beings were enforced nationwide. However, following the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, Afghan media experienced a significant transformation, with television channels, radio stations, and newspapers flourishing in an environment that, for a time, allowed greater freedom of expression.
Under the current Taliban government, media freedom has steadily eroded. The new ban on images of living things is one of several restrictions that have been introduced as part of a sweeping set of laws governing behavior and lifestyle.
Although not all of these laws are being enforced with equal strictness across the country, the direction of the government’s policies is clear. The Taliban is reasserting control over Afghan society by limiting the types of content that can be shared through the media, which has led to growing concerns among human rights organizations and press freedom advocates.
Impact on Afghan Media and Society
The ban on showing living beings in media broadcasts has far-reaching implications for Afghanistan’s media landscape. Visual content is a critical component of news reporting, and the absence of such images will significantly hinder the ability of journalists to convey the reality of events to the public.
Without the use of visuals, news reports are likely to lose much of their impact, reducing public understanding of current events and limiting the media’s role as a watchdog in society.
Journalists in Takhar have already reported a reduction in their output, fearing that any violation of the new rules could result in severe punishment from the Taliban.
While radio reports remain an option for news outlets, the lack of visual content severely limits the types of stories that can be told. This is particularly concerning in a country where media outlets have played a crucial role in documenting the struggles and aspirations of the Afghan people over the past two decades.
Moreover, the ban raises concerns about the future of artistic and cultural expression in Afghanistan. The portrayal of people and animals is a fundamental aspect of many forms of art, and the prohibition of such images will likely stifle creativity and artistic freedom.
Under the previous Taliban regime, many forms of art and entertainment, including music and cinema, were banned outright. While the current government has not yet imposed such sweeping prohibitions, the restrictions on visual media may foreshadow further limits on cultural expression in the future.
The broader social implications of this ban are also significant. By prohibiting the display of living beings, the Taliban is reinforcing a worldview in which the representation of life is tightly controlled and regulated according to a strict interpretation of Islamic law.
This not only affects the media but also shapes how people perceive themselves and their society. In a country that has experienced decades of conflict and turmoil, the ability to see and document the human experience is critical for fostering understanding, empathy, and resilience. The loss of visual media deprives Afghan society of an important tool for reflecting on its past and envisioning its future.
The Taliban’s decision to ban the display of living beings on television marks a significant development in its ongoing efforts to impose strict Islamic law across Afghanistan. While the ban is currently being implemented in some provinces, it is expected to expand nationwide in the coming months.
This move is part of a broader set of restrictions on media and cultural expression, which have steadily eroded the freedoms that Afghan society briefly enjoyed following the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
For journalists, the ban presents a serious challenge to their ability to report the news accurately and effectively. Without the use of visuals, many stories will lose their immediacy and impact, limiting public understanding of events in Afghanistan.
Additionally, the prohibition on depicting living beings raises concerns about the future of artistic and cultural expression in the country, as the Taliban seeks to tightly regulate how life is represented in the media.
As the Taliban continues to assert its control over Afghan society, the media landscape is likely to become even more restricted. For now, the ban on living images stands as a stark reminder of the group’s determination to impose its vision of Islamic law on all aspects of life in Afghanistan, with profound implications for the country’s media, culture, and society.
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