Afghan Journalist Sentenced to 3 Years Prison by Taliban Court
(Sayed Rahim Saeedi, editor and producer of the ANAR Media YouTube channel.)
The case reflects a broader pattern of media repression under Taliban rule. On 27 June 2026, 8am Media reported that, according to the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), nearly 300 journalists and media workers have been arrested or imprisoned since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 for allegedly violating the group’s restrictive directives. The AFJC further stated that at least seven journalists and media workers remained in Taliban custody as of June 2026.
This includes the recent arrest of Tamadon Television Managing Director Mohammad Rahmati and employee Mohammad Reza Ehsani, following a raid on the broadcaster’s headquarters in Kabul in June 2026.
Taliban forces reportedly halted transmissions, sealed the offices, and shut down associated facilities amid a legal dispute over property ownership that remains under review by a Taliban court. The Afghanistan Journalists Center condemned the arrests and called for their immediate release, the reopening of the broadcaster, and the restoration of its operations.
International Press Freedom Rankings Confirm Decline
This decline is also reflected in international rankings. Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, ranked 175th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), placing it among the lowest-ranked states globally. The country received a score of 19.51 out of 100, alongside states such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, North Korea, and Eritrea at the bottom of the index. By comparison, Norway, the Netherlands, and Estonia occupied the top three positions.
RSF reported that global press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in 25 years, with more than half of all countries now classified as facing “difficult” or “very serious” conditions for journalism. The organization uses five indicators in its assessment: political environment, legal framework, economic conditions, sociocultural context, and safety of journalists.
Afghanistan’s Post-2021 Collapse in Rankings
Afghanistan’s decline has been particularly steep since the Taliban takeover in 2021, when the country ranked 122nd. It subsequently fell to 156th in 2022, 152nd in 2023, and 178th in 2024, stabilizing at 175th in both 2025 and 2026.
According to RSF, the Taliban takeover marked a fundamental collapse of the media sector. In the first months after August 2021, around 40 percent of media outlets ceased operations, while a large share of journalists either left the profession, went into exile, or stopped working entirely. Female journalists have been disproportionately affected, with RSF estimating that the majority are no longer active and those remaining face strict limitations on movement, visibility, and access to information.
The report further states that independent journalism inside Afghanistan operates under severe restrictions, including censorship, self-censorship, and prior approval requirements in some regions. Topics such as women’s rights, religion, minority communities, and criticism of the authorities are tightly controlled. Journalists also face risks of detention, intimidation, and surveillance, particularly those working with foreign or exiled media outlets.
RSF also notes that only a limited number of Afghan media organizations in exile continue to provide independent reporting, while inside the country audiences increasingly rely on external sources for uncensored information.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, journalists and media workers have faced increasing restrictions, arrests, and closures, with press freedom organizations warning of a severe deterioration in media freedom. These developments reflect a continued contraction of independent journalism and press freedom in Afghanistan.
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