Afghanistan Journalists Centre (AFJC) has confirmed that the Taliban have arrested three local journalists from their homes in Pul-e-Khumri, capital of the northern Baghlan province. The AFJC further called for the immediate and unconditional release of these journalists.
Previously, sources confirmed to KabulNow that the Taliban intelligence agents have arrested these local journalists on unknown reasons from their homes in the provincial centre.
The journalists were identified as Ghulam Ali Wahdat, a reporter for Tanweer private TV station, Safiullah Wafa and Noor Agha, who both worked for the Taliban-run Afghanistan’s National TV.
According to the AFJC, the journalists were detained after reporting on performance of the Taliban security forces to ensure security in the provincial centre which perceived as unwilling for the Taliban authorities.
Referring to Afghanistan’s mass media law, the AFJC stated that journalists are independent in conducting their duties and the authorities must not impose restrictions or threaten them for their work.
The arrests by Taliban’s intelligence agency comes days after the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture convened a meeting in which its senior officials recalled an inter-agencies agreement of the group that no other organs were allowed to directly interfere in Afghanistan’s press affairs without getting the Ministry and the Commission on Media Violations on Board.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have often detained journalists and media workers as part of its systematic pressure to force the media and journalists operate in line with the group’s broadcasting policy.
In recent months, the group has dramatically increased the arrest of journalists.
Of those detained, the Afghan-French journalist Mortaza Behboudi, Khairullah Parhar, a sports reporter in Nangahar, and many others are still in Taliban custody despite repeated calls from media supporting organizations for their release.
