Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Paris-based media watchdog, on Monday, Nov 2, named Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada among 33 individuals, organisations and forces it calls "press freedom predators" for targeting journalists and media in 2026.
The list was published to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. RSF placed Akhundzada in its political category alongside US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega. The organisation said those named use different methods but share the same aim: silencing independent voices and denying the public its right to information.
A list in five categories
This year's list is split into political, security, legal, social and economic categories. The security category includes Israeli armed forces, Mexican cartels and the Chinese Communist Party, with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi newly added. Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Kazakhstan's Kassym-Jomart Tokayev appear in the legal category, while Alphabet and Meta are listed under economic pressure. RSF Director-General Thibaut Bruttin said exposing these actors was a way of refusing to let attacks on journalism become normal.
Media in Afghanistan have faced mounting restrictions since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Journalists have reported detentions, curbs on access to information and tight controls on broadcasting, while rules on women's appearance and participation in the media have expanded and many outlets have shut or scaled back. Taliban authorities reject the criticism, saying media organisations may operate freely as long as they comply with the country's laws and policies.