Taliban Celebrate World Press Freedom Day Without “Freedom” and Female Journalists

Kabul – Coinciding with World Press Freedom Day, the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior announced a meeting with a number of journalists; however, the ministry’s official newsletter removed the word “freedom” from the title of the day and referred to it as “World Press Freedom Day.”

The Taliban also released images from the meeting showing that no female journalists were among the participants. The images and the newsletter were posted on the X social network by Abdul Matin Qani, a spokesman for the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior, on Sunday, May 3.

At the meeting, Qani described the media as “the awakened brain of society and the echo of civilized nations,” and emphasized the key role of journalists in raising public awareness. However, he added that improving the professional capacities of journalists should be done “in the light of Islamic values,” an approach that the Taliban emphasizes in various sectors.

The removal of the word “freedom” from the title of the day and the absence of women from the meeting have once again highlighted concerns about the widespread restrictions on the media and the exclusion of women from public life in Afghanistan.

For nearly five years, the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on media activity. Many independent media outlets have been forced to submit their content to the group’s approval before publication.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has also expressed concern about the situation of journalists in Afghanistan. Richard Bennett, the organization’s special rapporteur for Afghanistan, announced that at least four journalists and media workers are still being held by the Taliban.

Also, according to a new report by Reporters Without Borders, Afghanistan is ranked 175th out of 180 countries in the 2026 Press Freedom Index, a ranking that reflects the critical state of media freedom in the country.

Reporting by Samim Bakhshi