Taliban Seek Institutional Support to Enforce Filming Ban in Kandahar

DID Press: Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Kandahar has formally asked relevant institutions to cooperate in implementing Part Nine of Article 22 of the Law on the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, including a ban on the use of recording devices, photography and video recording.

In the letter sent to the relevant institutions, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice emphasized that all concerned institutions are responsible for encouraging people to comply with this article and observe its provisions.

The ministry also called for serious attention to the implementation of Article 22 during the opening ceremonies of meetings and programs, and for participants to be informed about the restrictions imposed under the law.

Part Nine of Article 22 of the Taliban’s Law on the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice prohibits the use of recording devices, radios and similar equipment on portable computers, as well as taking and viewing images and videos using these devices.

Articles 17 and 22 of the law impose broad restrictions on photographing and filming living beings, and enforcement has begun in several provinces of Afghanistan.

The Taliban have previously detained journalists in several provinces over photography and filming and restricted their media activities. The trend has raised concerns about media access to information and journalists’ freedom to operate in Afghanistan.