The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has arrested Malik Akbar, a 70-year-old TikTok user, and released a forced confession video. Spokesman Saif-ul-Islam Khyber accused Akbar of “un-Islamic and immoral acts” and said he has been referred to the Taliban court. In the video, Akbar expresses regret for his TikTok activity and apologizes, but it remains unclear under what conditions the confession was recorded.
In May 2023, the Taliban banned TikTok and PUBG, claiming these apps “mislead youth.” Despite the ban, some Afghan users continue to access TikTok. The ministry has previously published several forced confession videos of social media users.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, freedom of expression in Afghanistan has been severely restricted. Media, journalists, and social media users face threats, censorship, and risk of arrest, forcing many into self-censorship. Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned about the crackdown on free speech and the rights of minorities and women. #FreedomOfSpeech #Taliban #TikTok #Afghan #SocialMedia #HumanRights
