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Snapshot 6:Tue, Oct 15, 2024 6:17:25 PM GMT last edited by KateHennig

Afghanistan: Taliban Ban Photos of Living Things

Afghanistan: Taliban Ban Photos of Living Things

Above: A member of Taliban security force keeps a vigil at the office of the Afghan Independent Journalists Association in Kabul on May 3, 2023. Image copyright: WAKIL KOHSAR/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

The Facts

  • Afghanistan's Taliban morality ministry has announced a law banning news media from publishing images of all living things, with gradual implementation planned across the country.Afghanistan's Taliban morality ministry has announced a law banning news media from publishing images of all living things. The law's gradual implementation is planned across the country.

  • The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice spokesman, Saiful Islam Khyber, stated that officials will convince people that "these things are really contrary to sharia (law)."

  • This comes after the Taliban published its vice and virtue laws in August, Article 17 of which bans the publication of images of living beings.The announcement comes after the Taliban published its vice and virtue laws in August, Article 17 of which bans the publication of images of living beings.


The Spin

The photography ban is a must to align media practices with Islamic law and preserve cultural values. Gradual implementation allows for a smooth transition and ensures compliance without coercion. This approach demonstrates the Taliban's commitment to upholding religious principles while maintaining societal order.


The ban on photographs of living things severely restricts press freedom and artistic expression. It further limits the already dwindling media landscape in Afghanistan and disproportionately affects women in the industry. This move is part of a broader pattern of oppressive measures that violate human rights and hinder progress.



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