'Now airing nature videos': Taliban bans broadcasting images of any living beings in new restrictions on media

Media outlets in many Afghan provinces have imposed a ban on broadcasting images and videos of living beings, adhering to newly implemented morality laws, an official confirmed on Tuesday.

In August, Afghanistan's Vice and Virtue Ministry introduced regulations affecting various aspects of daily life, including public transport, personal grooming and media content. These rules reflect the authorities' interpretation of Islamic law or Sharia

Among the new regulations, Article 17 specifically prohibits the publication of images featuring living creatures— a ban that has raised alarm about its implications for press freedom and the landscape of Afghan media, as reported by the Associated Press.

Saif ul Islam Khyber, a spokesman for the Vice and Virtue Ministry, stated that government-operated media in the provinces of Takhar, Maidan Wardak, and Kandahar have been instructed to refrain from broadcasting any images of "anything with a soul," which encompasses both humans and animals.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Khyber clarified that the ministry holds the responsibility for enforcing these morality laws. However, he did not specify whether the rules would apply to all media outlets, including foreign entities, or if compliance is mandatory only for Afghan channels and websites. Additionally, the enforcement mechanisms and timelines for adherence to the laws remain unclear.

Hujjatullah Mujadidi, director of the Afghan Independent Journalists Union, indicated that initial instructions to state media to halt the airing of images pertained specifically to living beings. This directive has since been broadened to encompass all media platforms in the affected provinces.

“Independent local media in some provinces have complied with this prohibition and are now airing nature videos instead,” Mujadidi revealed.