Media Outlets Prohibit Live Animals in Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, a strict prohibition on broadcasting images of living beings has been enforced. The Taliban, the nation's governing body, is the driving force behind this ban. As of April 18, 2025, it is illegal to film or broadcast living creatures, according to Section 3, Article 17 of the "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" law.
Violators of this rule can expect legal action, a fact boldly announced by the Afghan Journalism Center (AFJC). This restriction affects 15 provinces, including Bamiyan and Kunduz.
Government institutions have been instructed to inhibit journalists from filming any events. This ban also extends to private citizens.
Under this decree, any violations will result in legal consequences. According to recent reports, Afghan television channels have transitioned to a format akin to radio, with newsreaders delivering the news without visuals, and government buildings or landscapes displayed instead.
War-torn Kabul, now under the grips of Afghanistan's strict rule
© 2025, RIA "Novyi Den"
The root of this ban lies in the Taliban's rigorous interpretation of Islamic law and their ambition to enforce what they consider to be morality laws. Since August 2023, the Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has gradually imposed this ban across multiple provinces, including Bamiyan, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Nimroz, and most recently Kunduz[1][3][4].
The Taliban justify the ban by claiming that it violates Islamic law due to their conservative religious beliefs that oppose depicting humans and animals in media[2][3]. This ban is part of a broader campaign to tighten control on media content throughout Afghanistan[2]. The Ministry aims to convince media outlets and the public that the publication or broadcasting of images of living creatures is forbidden under their strict interpretation of Sharia law[2].
This policy poses significant challenges to journalistic freedom, media operations, and cultural expression, as it constrains routine reporting and expression[3][5]. Journalists and media organizations face threats and warnings of severe consequences if they defy the orders, fostering an atmosphere of censorship and fear in Afghanistan’s media landscape[3][5].
This policy is only one aspect of the Taliban's broader suppression of information access and freedom of expression, further limiting the Afghan public's ability to participate in social and political discourse under Taliban rule[5]. It also aligns with other restrictive measures imposed on women and wider societal control, revealing a pattern of repressive and punitive regulations on daily life and expression in Afghanistan[2][5].
In essence, the ban on broadcasting images of living beings reflects the Taliban's determination to enforce their rigid interpretation of Islamic law on media and public expression. This policy has grave consequences for press freedom, censorship, and the Afghan people's ability to access and share visual information about their society and surroundings[1][2][3][4][5].
The Taliban's ban on filming or broadcasting living creatures, as enforced in Afghanistan in 2025, stems from their conservative interpretation of Islamic law and ambition to enforce moral laws. This policy, announced by the Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, poses significant challenges to journalistic freedom, media operations, and cultural expression.
As a result, Afghan television channels have made adjustments, transitioning to a format similar to radio, with newsreaders delivering the news without visuals, and government buildings or landscapes displayed instead.
This policy is just one aspect of the Taliban's broader suppression of information access and freedom of expression, further restricting the Afghan public's ability to participate in social and political discourse under Taliban rule.
In the context of general news, the implications of this policy are far-reaching, revealing a persistent pattern of repressive regulations on daily life and expression in Afghanistan.
