Afghan Journalists in Kabul, Wakil Kohsar/AFP
February 21, 2023
Lashkargah, Helmand- The Taliban must immediately lift the ban on journalists from taking pictures and producing video stories in the southern Helmand province, the Afghanistan Journalists Center said on Tuesday.
A representative of the provincial governor of Helmand informed a group of journalists in a meeting about the order of the local administration, said a journalist in Helmand who spoke to AFJC on the condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal.
“The journalists are banned from taking pictures and videos during their interviews with officials or from the Helmand residents,” according to the journalist “Also, in a rare development, the daily reportages of the province were shared with the local journalists without pictures and video.”
Meanwhile, another source in the province who didn’t want to be named told AFJC that the government departments in the province were warned for letting journalists take photos or video interviews. There are some people among the leaderships that would enforce their strict interpretation of Islam and view Photography and filming of living bodies against the Shariah (the Islamic legal code).”
AFJC said:” The Taliban ban on journalists from taking pictures, and producing video stories in Helmand province is a serious violation of media freedom.” “AFJC calls on the authorities to immediately lift the ban and allow the journalists to work freely and without fear.”