JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

Coffee in the morning, fear by afternoon: an Afghan journalist works undercover for an exiled media outlet, dreading every knock at the gate. After interviewing a woman with a disability about domestic violence, she halts publication — fearing surveillance cameras could expose her identity.

Amu TV was born out of the collapse of Afghanistan’s media landscape, and is one of the most influential exiled media outlets serving Afghanistan today. By broadcasting via satellite from the US, the channel has bypassed Taliban censorship and reached millions of viewers inside the country, offering a rare space for uncensored news, political debate, entertainment, and more.

In this podcast episode of Booda Media’s “Fasl-e-Digher” program, Lina Rozbeh, a renowned Afghan poet, writer and journalists talks about women, migration, war, identity, freedom, the Taliban and the current situation and future of Afghanistan. Moreover, she discusses her experience in media and literature, the fate of women, the role of intellectuals and the responsibility of media.

A number of journalists in Afghanistan say the process of reporting has become increasingly difficult. They say they live under constant fear of surveillance, arrest, and pressure by the Taliban. According to these journalists, working with exile media outlets is considered a crime by the Taliban, and journalists themselves are treated as criminals.

Several journalists working under Taliban rule have expressed concern over the intensifying crackdown on the media and the complete restriction of access to information. According to them, no media outlet under Taliban control can publish the existing realities and can only disseminate content that the Taliban permit.

Exiled Afghan journalists are keeping critical reporting alive through Amu TV and its flagship show Jan-e-Gap, broadcasting from studios in the U.S., Canada, France, and Turkey. Host Sadaf Rahimi and co-founders Lotfullah Najafizada and Sami Mahdi connect millions of Afghan viewers to open debate, exposing abuses and giving a voice to those silenced under the Taliban.

Afghan journalists and media workers in Pakistan live in fear of arrest and deportation as authorities crack down on refugees. Many fled Taliban rule, and rights groups warn that forced returns could put them at serious risk of persecution, highlighting the precarious situation of exiled journalists in the region.

When a newsroom is forced into exile, relocation is often described as hope: physical safety, freedom of expression, open internet access, and the ability to publish without censorship. In practice, however, the main challenge quickly moves from physical security to survival and continuity.

Nasir Andisha, Acting Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, said at the International Symposium on Freedom of Expression that the international community must continue supporting Afghan media and free expression and should not allow the Taliban to silence these freedoms. The symposium opened today (Friday, November 21) in Berlin.

The two-day “Exiled Media Forum 2025” concluded in Hamburg, Germany, reaffirming international support for independent media operating outside their home countries. The event convened journalists, media executives, and freedom-of-expression advocates from Afghanistan, Belarus, Sudan, and other nations confronting repressive regimes.

Several exiled journalists from Afghanistan say that gaining access to information from inside the country has become one of their biggest challenges in reporting. They add that with the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on media and social media users, the process of obtaining information for exiled media outlets has become increasingly difficult.

Several journalists from Afghanistan who are now living in exile say that access to information from inside the country has become one of their biggest challenges in reporting the news. They add that with the Taliban’s growing restrictions on the media and users of social networks, access to information for exiled media outlets is becoming increasingly difficult.

A new cooperation agreement between Amu TV and Deutsche Welle was announced on October 1, 2025, to expand access to independent journalism for Afghan audiences inside the country and abroad. The partnership will allow Amu TV, an Afghan broadcaster in the diaspora, to rebroadcast DW’s flagship program Aashiti on its free-to-air satellite channel, while also sharing DW’s news, analysis, and multimedia content across its website and social media platforms.

The Taliban, by imposing a nationwide shutdown of internet and telecommunications services in Afghanistan, have driven the final nail into the coffin of individual freedoms, development, and people’s connection with the outside world. Opponents of the Taliban and other citizens of the country have said that this move has not only dragged Afghanistan into absolute isolation in the 21st century, but has also thrown the daily lives of millions into crisis.

Civic space in Afghanistan remains rated as ‘closed’. Since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, the de facto authorities continue to commit human rights violations and crimes under international law against the Afghan people, especially women and girls, with absolute impunity. Civil society activists, journalists and others face severe restrictions, and activists have been arbitrarily arrested and detained for their criticism of the Taliban.

CPJ interviewed 10 Afghan journalists, inside and outside the country, who said that  independent media, which used to reach millions of people, have largely been banned, suspended, or shuttered while key outlets have been taken over by the Taliban. None would publish their names, citing fear of reprisals.

With the Taliban in control, journalism lost its meaning. Widespread censorship, constant threats, and gender-based restrictions defined the daily lives of women journalists. Not only aspirations but also freedom of expression, job security, and even women’s physical presence in the media sphere faced serious challenges. Journalism—a profession once used to promote awareness and demand justice—became a dangerous battleground.

A new report highlights how Taliban censorship, arrests, and intimidation severely threaten Afghan journalists working inside the country. Despite growing risks, many continue reporting under fear and secrecy. Journalists warn that without strong international support, independent voices in Afghanistan may soon be silenced.