Around 15 new media outlets granted licenses last year: Ghufran

Khubaib Ghufran, spokesman for the Ministry of Information and Culture, says the ministry has issued operating licenses to around 15 new media outlets over the past year in Afghanistan.

Marking World Press Freedom Day, Ghufran stated on Saturday that the Islamic Emirate supports media that operate in accordance with Islamic Sharia principles, respect cultural values and public beliefs, uphold privacy, and avoid inciting discord and prejudice.

He added that since IEA’s takeover, the Ministry of Information and Culture has been able to maintain “extensive” cooperation with the media in all areas.

According to him, IEA supports those media outlets in Afghanistan that broadcast responsibly.

These remarks come as Afghanistan ranked 175th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ‘s 2025 global press freedom index.