Taliban forces beat journalist Reza Shahir, charge 3 others over corruption reporting
New York, June 9, 2022 — The Taliban must investigate the beating of journalist Reza Shahir, and immediately drop all charges against journalists Firoz Ghafori, Basira Mosamem, and Olugh Beig Ghafori, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. At about midnight on June 3, Taliban forces stopped Shahir while he was on his way to…
Afghan journalist Ali Akbar Khairkhah disappears in Kabul, Taliban cracks down on women reporters
Washington, D.C., May 27, 2022 – Taliban authorities must investigate the disappearance of Afghan journalist Ali Akbar Khairkhah and ensure that local officials allow female journalists to do their jobs without interference, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Tuesday, May 24, Khairkhah, a photojournalist and reporter with the local Subhe Kabul newspaper, disappeared…
Taliban intelligence agents detain, pressure Afghan journalist Jebran Lawrand to stop critical reporting
Washington D.C., May 23, 2022 – Taliban authorities must investigate the arbitrary detention, questioning, and intimidation of Afghan journalist Jebran Lawrand and allow local press members to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On April 25, Lawrand, a political programs manager and presenter at the independent Kabul News TV station, was summoned…
Afghan journalist Khalid Qaderi sentenced to 1 year in prison
Washington, D.C., May 6, 2022 – Taliban authorities must immediately release Afghan journalist Khalid Qaderi, drop all charges against him, and stop detaining and imprisoning members of the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. A Taliban military court in the western city of Herat sentenced Qaderi to one year in…
Taliban forces beat and detain journalist Reza Shahir in Kabul
New York, April 19, 2022 — The Taliban must immediately investigate the detention and beating of Afghan journalist Reza Shahir, return his equipment, and cease harassing journalists for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Tuesday, April 19, armed Taliban members stopped Shahir, a reporter for the independent TV station Rahe Farda,…
Taliban intelligence forces detain, beat journalist Mohib Jalili in Kabul
New York, April 18, 2022 — The Taliban must immediately investigate the detention and alleged abuse in custody of Afghan journalist Mohib Jalili, and hold the perpetrators accountable, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On Saturday, April 16, more than seven armed men from the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) arrested Jalili, who…
Taliban detain and release at least 7 journalists and media workers; ban broadcasts from BBC, VOA, DW
New York, March 28, 2022 — The Taliban must cease detaining journalists for their work and lift all bans on news outlets’ operations, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. Since Saturday, March 26, Taliban forces have detained and then released at least seven journalists and media workers, and have ordered local outlets to stop…
Afghanistan’s intelligence agency emerges as new threat to independent media
On January 19, the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) publicly called on Afghan media to refrain from publishing and broadcasting what it termed “false news and baseless rumors.” The warning amounted to the first public acknowledgement of something that Afghan journalists already knew: a tough new cop was on the beat. The emergence of…
Taliban arrests 2 journalists on assignment with United Nations
New York, February 11, 2022 — The Taliban must immediately release Andrew North and all other journalists held for their work, and cease harassing and detaining members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Taliban forces in Kabul arrested North, a former BBC journalist on assignment for the UN High Commissioner for…
Taliban forces beat, interrogate journalist Zahid Samadzai in Kabul
New York, February 3, 2022 — The Taliban must immediately investigate the detention and abuse in custody of journalist Abdul Qayum Zahid Samadzai, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Tuesday, February 1, a man who identified himself as a member of the Taliban’s Directorate General of Intelligence…