In the 1990s, the Taliban not only banned television and photography but also sought to erase the soul of a nation. Now, history is repeating itself. They have outlawed images of living beings once again, as though by silencing the lens, they can mute the resilience, the hopes, and the humanity of Afghanistan. But photographs are more than just pictures—they are windows to stories, to resistance, to memory. When a regime bans images, it isn’t just light they seek to dim, but the very essence of life, as though the erasure of faces will render people invisible, voiceless. But the truth cannot be erased. Banning images will not make Afghanistan’s suffering disappear, nor will it erase the courage of those who continue to resist. This is not merely an attack on art or personal expression—it is a direct assault on the free press. By banning images, the Taliban aims to strip journalists of their power to bear witness, to tell the world the truth about what is happening. It is an attempt t...