Two TOLONews presenters work with their faces covered in Kabul, on May 22, 2022. (Reuters/Ali Khara)
Kabul, February 28, 2024 - Mohammad Khaled Hanafi, the Taliban's Acting Minister of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, warned during a meeting with media representatives in Kabul about the possibility of a complete ban on women's work in the media if they do not adhere to certain guidelines regarding their appearance. AFJC has expressed concern over the state of the media in the country and the potential repercussions of banning women from working in the media, who already face significant restrictions in their work.
In a meeting held at a hotel in Kabul on Tuesday, February 27, Mohammad Khaled Hanafi and Abdul Ghaffar Farooq, the ministry's spokesman, engaged in discussions with media officials for about three hours. While the atmosphere was described as friendly, concerns were raised about the limitations faced by journalists and media workers.
During the meeting, officials from the Ministry of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice discussed the participation of women journalists and guests on television programs. Abdul Ghaffar Farooq, recommended that media representatives adhere to a modest dress code, showing images of women in black attire and veils with their faces mostly covered, leaving only their eyes visible. Farooq also suggested avoiding interviews with Afghan women who do not adhere to the hijab or fully cover their faces.
Hanafi warned that failure to comply with these guidelines may lead to a potential prohibition of women working in the media by Taliban leader Hebatullah Akhundzada. This warning follows similar statements made by Deputy Minister of Information and Culture for publication, Hayatullah Mohajer Farahi, during a recent meeting with media officials in Kabul.
AFJC is deeply concerned about the state of the media in the country and cautions against the potential issuance of an order that would prohibit women from working in the media. Currently, media professionals are grappling with stringent work restrictions. AFJC urges the Taliban authorities to revoke the media guidelines and grant journalists and media outlets the freedom to exercise their rights as outlined in the media law.
Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, there have been increasing restrictions on journalists and media workers in the country, with multiple directives issued that severely limit freedom of the press. Some of these directives specifically focus on women in the media industry, prohibiting them from working in national radio and television, enforcing gender-based segregation in workplaces, and prohibiting women's voices and phone calls from being broadcast in certain provinces.