KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Hamid Farhadi, who has been detained by the Taliban in Kabul since September last year.
In a letter to Mufti Abdul Matin Qane, spokesman for the Taliban Ministry of Interior, Amnesty expressed concern over Farhadi’s detention, describing it as “arbitrary and unjust.”
Farhadi was arrested on September 3, 2024, from his home in Kabul by Taliban forces. He was accused of collaborating with Etilaatroz, an independent newspaper now operating in exile.
On September 19, a Taliban court sentenced him to two years in prison for allegedly spreading propaganda in his reports on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
Initially held in Kabul’s Pol Charkhi prison, Farhadi was transferred to Bagram prison on March 28, where the Taliban are keeping political prisoners.
“Hamid Farhadi’s arbitrary detention and lack of legal representation are a clear violation of his rights to freedom of expression and fair trial guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Afghanistan is a state party,” Amnesty said.
Amnesty also highlighted that during his interrogation and detention, Farhadi was subjected to mistreatment, including solitary confinement, which has significantly worsened his mental health.
The rights group urged the Taliban to release Farhadi immediately and provide him with access to healthcare, legal counsel, and family visits while detained.
“Hamid Farhadi must be immediately and unconditionally released as he is detained solely for the peaceful exercise of his human rights,” Amnesty stressed.
Previously, many journalists and human rights activists have condemned Farhadi’s detention and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
Press freedom in Afghanistan has sharply declined since the Taliban returned to power nearly four years ago. Journalists face regular threats, censorship, and arrests, often over their social media activity or links to exiled media outlets.
A recent report by the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) documented a 24% rise in media rights violations over the past year, with 181 cases reported, including 50 arrests. At least 13 journalists are currently detained, six of whom have received prison sentences ranging from several months to three years.
Rights groups continue to warn of growing risks for journalists and media workers under Taliban rule.
