19 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Afghan journalist Mohamadiar Majruh has been released this Sunday after spending five days in Taliban custody in the province of Kandahar, in the south of the country and the cradle of the fundamentalist movement, without the charges against him being known so far. as confirmed by the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC).
Majruh was arrested five days ago after being summoned by Taliban intelligence operatives in the province. The authorities, regrets the AFJC, have not explained the reasons for the arrest. Another journalist familiar with the case has explained that Majruh was released under “some conditions”, the nature of which is unclear.
“We welcome the release of Mohamadiar Majruh, but it is clear that he should never have been arrested in the first place,” laments the center.
“We call on the authorities of the Islamic Emirate to immediately and unconditionally release all other journalists currently detained and to ensure that journalists can do their work without interference, fear or reprisals,” the center added.
The Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on the media and freedom of expression since they regained power in August 2021.
Extremists regularly detain local Afghan journalists, with some reporting abuse and torture after their release. A large number of Afghan journalists now live in exile.
In fact, at least nine journalists and media workers have been detained over the past three months because of their journalistic activities, according to data collected by the center. Three of them, including French-Afghan journalist Mortaza Behbudi, arrested more than a month ago in Kabul on espionage charges, are still in prison.
