From Ismail Kadare to Kahlil Gibran: Which Books Are Banned in Afghanistan?

Since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, the state of book publishing in the country has deteriorated. Recently, AFP reported from Afghanistan about the seizure of books that the Taliban deems 'un-Islamic.' The agency also reported that works criticizing the Taliban government are being confiscated. The Taliban's censorship measures include seizing books at customs, removing works from libraries, and compiling a list of banned book titles. The Ministry of Information and Culture, which has been enforcing strict Islamic laws since the Taliban's return to power, compiled a list of 400 banned book titles last October. According to this ministry, these works are 'in conflict with Islamic values and Afghanistan,' and most have been discovered and seized from shops. Taliban officials have not disclosed the number of books that have been collected. A Taliban Ministry of Information and Culture official revealed some of the banned titles, including 'Jesus, Son of Man' by Lebanese-American author Kahlil Gibran and 'The Twilight of the Eastern Gods' by French-Albanian author Ismail Kadare. Additionally, 'Afghanistan and the Region: A Perspective on West Asia' by former Afghan education minister Mervais Balkhi has also been confiscated due to 'negative propaganda.' Mohammad Sadiq Khadami from the Taliban's Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Department stated, 'We do not ban books from a specific country or author. We read all books and seize those that oppose religion or authorities.' He added that they also confiscate books containing images of living beings, as taking photographs of people or animals is religiously prohibited. A bookseller in Herat reported that books have also been removed from bookstores, including 'The History of Jihadist Groups in Afghanistan' by Afghan author Yaqoub Mashouf. An Afghan publisher and a senior Taliban government official told AFP that these actions have taken place in the first year of the Taliban's power and in recent months. The Afghan publisher, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, 'There is a lot of censorship, and it is very difficult to work in an atmosphere of fear.' During the previous Taliban regime in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, Kabul, which had been devastated by repeated wars, had far fewer publishers and booksellers. Not only was censorship present during the previous Taliban regime, but this Kabul publisher also stated that censorship of books existed under the 'Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,' a government recognized by the international community. However, he said, 'There was corruption, pressure, and other problems, but we were not afraid; we could say what we wanted.' Ahmad Sarwar, a former Afghan ambassador, told Radio Farda that censorship of books has always existed in Afghanistan. However, Mr. Sarwar emphasizes that censorship has intensified during the Taliban era. Before the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, some banned works were published in Iran. Now, it seems that the tougher conditions for books in Afghanistan have also eliminated this possibility for Iranians.