Extreme restrictions on media workers mean life in Afghanistan – including human rights abuses – will go undocumented, journalists say
The Taliban’s ban on images and videos of “living things” will make it harder to cover Afghanistan, journalists in the country said.
The Afghan ministry for vice and virtue has directed media platforms in Maidan Wardak, Kandahar and Takhar provinces to not show images of “living things with a soul”, taken as meaning people and animals.
A ministry spokesperson, Saif ul Islam Khyber, confirmed to the Associated Press that Taliban-run media stopped showing images of living things in some provinces on Tuesday to comply with the new law.
The ban, part of a set of “morality laws” published by the ministry in August, does not extend to visuals of the Taliban’s more prominent leaders.
In effect, this means journalists can no longer take pictures or videos of people and animals. Photojournalists in particular fear that the restrictions will harm their livelihoods.
This kind of shit is 100% about control, right? Or are there like high level Taliban that actually believe there is something immoral about taking a photograph of an animal?
I think they believe that images of living things become idols. If I recall, Amish have similar concerns, but they don’t try to enforce it outside of their community. Fortunately, there was no such thing as audio recording when their religion was invented, so hopefully at least that’ll be tolerated. Radio broadcasts are better than no broadcasts.
I think there used to be a teaching that depiction of humans was - for some reason - forbidden. But my source is the novel “Der Medicus” , so take that with a teaspoon of salt.
So by implication, the more prominent leaders of the Taliban don’t have souls? I suppose that tracks?
So by implication, the more prominent leaders of the Taliban don’t have souls?
Unironically, public figures within the social systems we have developed really do have to act more as a figure than a person.
Fantastic news for nature documentary makers who are married to taxidermists
A large number of good sketch artists are going to be needed in Afghanistan soon.
Depictions are also iconography, and therefore also banned (probably, or they will be soon if not already).
Do you want to apply?
It’s a good thing they don’t believe in science. Because if they ever found out how eyes work, then things would get real bloody real fast.
I love this photo… every with their tripod. Like true hardware whores as Kai might have said once or twice. It goes from the practical-sh, but still not allowed by Disney tripod to the most stable 3 wheeled tripod. 😂. It’s totally embarrassing when you yourself know you have done that. 3 wheeled tripod for my nice’s bday! With an LED panel light and snoot for highlights lol 😂.
What’s wrong with these nincompoops! At least give them a garden where they can take photos of plants? Or maybe street is okay if they toss in a high density filter and they do long exposure so everything disappears?
