KABUL: According to journalists nationwide, Afghanistan’s morals ministry is progressively enacting a ban on pictures of living things in the media. Several provinces have announced limitations, and certain Taliban leaders have refused to be shot or videotaped.
The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV) has been meeting with reporters in several provinces since the middle of October. They told media professionals that a new “vice and virtue” rule will progressively enforce a ban on shooting and publishing pictures of living things, specifically humans and animals.
During the Taliban’s 1996–2001 rule, television was outright prohibited; but, since they overthrew the Western-backed government three years ago, no such decree has been enforced.
Numerous provisions of the “vice and virtue” law, which covers broad standards of conduct and codifies the Taliban government’s stringent interpretation of Islamic law, have not been applied consistently. Journalists, however, were alarmed about the potential for a full-scale crackdown, which would make Afghanistan the first nation with a majority of Muslims to enforce such prohibitions.
Journalists worry that there may be a complete crackdown on the media.
A journalist in the middle Daikundi province, who wished to remain anonymous out of concern over possible consequences, stated, “I have a very bad feeling about it — taking photos and images is an inseparable part of journalism.”
He claimed that after a recent PVPV announcement, media in Daikundi had only been permitted to record audio at events. “In addition, many media professionals will lose their jobs when this rule is fully implemented,” he continued.
However, numerous ministries and government representatives in Kabul have persisted in posting images of people despite the lack of a complete prohibition.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) South Asia Desk head Celia Mercier stated, “It appears that the supreme leader (Hibatullah Akhundzada) and his supporters in Kandahar wish to implement the Taliban policy of the ’90s, when images of living beings were prohibited.” She did note, however, that “some Taliban officials seem to not necessarily agree with these new restrictions.” “And placing additional restrictions could cause dissatisfaction among the populace already impacted by the prohibition on young girls attending school, women’s rights, and numerous other measures.”
“Implemented gradually.”
PVPV has been leading the effort to implement the law. According to Saiful Islam Khyber, the ministry’s spokesperson, the prohibition on photos of live things “applies to all Afghanistan… and it will be implemented gradually” on October 14.
Since then, Taliban officials have made it clear that photographing and recording are prohibited at a number of events they have announced, mostly from PVPV but also from other ministries, governor offices, and private parties.
“Every article of the law is determined by the light of Islam and all are obliged to implement it,” PVPV officials in the populated eastern province of Nangarhar told reporters on Wednesday.
