The Taliban’s Department of Information and Culture in Herat has announced that, from now on, no type of book may be printed without coordination with the department, and official permission will be required to publish the works of other authors.
The department announced today, Tuesday, 19 May , that it held a meeting with the managers of printing houses, bookstores, and photography studios regarding copyright compliance, the protection of authors’ rights, and the prevention of the illegal publication of cultural works.
Taliban officials in the meeting emphasized that the printing of any kind of book must be carried out in coordination with the Department of Information and Culture. They also stated that if a work by another author is to be published, official permission from the original author must be obtained.
During the meeting, photographers and photography studio owners were also warned not to publish anyone’s photos or videos without their consent.
Taliban officials also stressed the need for careful review of printed works, stating that all books must be thoroughly checked in terms of content and spelling.
According to them, sacred texts, especially the Holy Quran, must not contain any spelling or printing errors.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
