The Taliban intelligence agents arrested Qudratullah Noori, a local journalist, from his residential area in the Jabalussaraj district of the northern Parwan province on Tuesday, one of his relatives confirmed to KabulNow.
His family has not been informed about his whereabouts and fate, the source said, adding that the reason behind Noori’s arrest is not yet clear.
Local Taliban authorities have not commented regarding the circumstances of Noori’s arrest.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban has conducted a continuous campaign of arresting journalists across Afghanistan, with many having been detained in recent months.
French-Afghan journalist Mortaza Behboudi has been in Taliban detention since 7 January 2023. Despite international calls, the group has refused to provide details about his whereabouts or indicate whether he will be freed. Khairullah Parhar, a sports reporter, has also been in Taliban custody for over two months.
Almost half of Afghanistan’s once vibrant media have been either forced to cease operations or move their offices abroad as a result of the Taliban’s strict restrictions and continued pressure over the past 18 months.
