Behind the scenes of a newsroom in exile: 8AM Media, a beacon of light in the darkness of Kabul

Born out of the daily Afghan newspaper Hasht-e Subh ("Eight o'clock in the morning"), 8AM Media, an online media outlet operating in exile, is one of Afghanistan's last remaining bastions of independent journalism. As working openly as a journalist in Kabul has become impossible under Taliban rule, this newsroom relies on collaborators operating covertly in the country.

Security is a matter of survival for a media organisation covering news in a country ruled by one of the most repressive regimes in the world. The identity and location of the journalists who remain in Afghanistan, as well as communication channels and emergency protocols, cannot be made public without putting lives at risk. 8AM Mediafollows strict security protocols: encrypted communications, compartmentalisation of sensitive information, anonymisation of sources, risk assessments prior to publication, and support for the relocation of journalists.

Since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, certain topics - including the oppression of women, corruption, security incidents and executions - are now off limits for journalists in Afghanistan, these being considered as "contrary to Islam" or forms of "Western propaganda" by the Taliban. Journalists who dare to cross these red lines risk summonses by the intelligence services, physical violence, confiscation of their equipment and arbitrary detention.

As the country suffocates under the weight of censorship and repression, 8AM Media- a non-profit platform - champions independent investigative journalism that serves the public interest by exposing the reality of Taliban rule in Afghanistan. It notably documents violations of women's rights, the exclusion of girls from the education system and failures of Taliban governance, as well as humanitarian, health and environmental crises, arbitrary detention, torture, extrajudicial executions, and the situation of Afghan refugees and their forced expulsions - particularly from Pakistan and Iran. Its investigations make it an essential source for understanding life in Afghanistan, independent of official Taliban propaganda.

To reach the widest possible audience, the editorial team publishes in Dari, Pashto, Uzbek and English. To counter or circumvent internet shutdowns, censorship and firewalls, 8AM Mediais using a growing number of distribution channels including mirror sites, social media platforms, messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram, and support from the diaspora. It also offers lightweight formats for readers with limited internet connection. In a situation where control over access to information is being leveraged as a political weapon, these strategies are vital.

However working in exile comes at a high human and financial cost. The newsroom's physical distance from Afghanistan also has a significant psychological impact on its journalists who are constantly anxious about their relatives who remain in the country. Members of staff in exile in Pakistan are now threatened with expulsion to their country of origin as a result of the country's policy of mass returns of Afghan refugees, even though they have participated in sensitive investigations that put their freedom and lives at risk.

Despite it all, 8AM Mediacontinues to portray the harsh reality of life in Afghanistan today, rather than the polished image the regime wishes to present. In a country where press freedom is being systematically stifled, every single day 8AM Mediaproves that, even in exile, independent journalism is capable of existing and resisting.

By Célia Mercier, Head of RSF's South Asia Desk

This article was originally published in French in the March 2026 edition of the RSF Photo Album"100 Photos for Press Freedom."

• ASIA-PACIFIC
• Afghanistan
• Independence and pluralism
• Violence against journalists
• News
• Predators
• Threats and pressure
• Exile