The Taliban’s Prime Minister, Mullah Hassan Akhund, has appointed Mawlawi Ehsanullah Hassan as the new director of the state-run Bakhtar News Agency through an official decree. Hassan formally assumed his duties at the agency on Sunday, June 28.
He replaces Hedayatullah Hedayat, who previously served as the agency’s director. The Taliban have not provided any explanation for the leadership change.
Before his appointment, Mawlawi Ehsanullah Hassan served as chief of staff to the Taliban’s Minister of Information and Culture. Under the new decree, he has now taken charge of the state-run news agency.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on media operations and significantly curtailed access to information. These measures have drawn criticism from organizations that advocate for press freedom.
The Taliban did not release any photographs from the ceremony introducing the new head of Bakhtar News Agency. Instead, they only distributed images of his office, showing his desk and chairs.
Under the Taliban’s Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the publication of images depicting living beings is prohibited. The restriction has also affected the way state-run media report news and publish photographs.
Since regaining power in August 2021, the Taliban have also dismissed large numbers of experienced government employees and replaced them with individuals affiliated with the group, including a significant number of clerics, in various government positions.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
