Three Afghan Journalists Targeted & Detained as Taliban Intensify Media Crackdown

Press freedom organizations in Afghanistan are warning of a renewed escalation in intimidation against journalists after Taliban authorities reportedly detained at least three media workers in Kabul and threatened several others within the span of a few days. The arrests have deepened concerns about the deteriorating state of independent journalism under Taliban rule and the increasing risks faced by reporters attempting to continue their work in the country.

According to the Afghanistan Journalists Center, the detained journalists include Ahmad Javid Niazi of the Paigard News Agency as well as TOLOnews journalists Mansoor Niazi and Imran Danish. Reports stated that some of the journalists were allegedly summoned by Taliban intelligence authorities before being taken into custody, while others were reportedly detained in different parts of Kabul. The whereabouts of several of the journalists were initially unclear, further intensifying concern among colleagues and media rights advocates.

Media organizations said the Taliban have not publicly clarified the reasons behind the detentions. Press freedom advocates also reported that several additional journalists were threatened during the same period, although details surrounding those incidents were withheld because of security concerns. Rights groups argued that the arrests and intimidation tactics represent another effort to silence critical reporting and restrict public access to independent information.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center condemned the actions and called for the immediate release of all journalists detained because of their professional work. Advocacy groups stressed that journalists must be able to operate without fear of arrest, harassment, or retaliation, warning that continued repression threatens the foundations of free expression in Afghanistan.

Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Afghanistan’s media landscape has faced severe restrictions, including tighter controls over reporting, censorship directives, and repeated detentions of reporters and editors. Media watchdogs say the pressure has forced many journalists into hiding, exile, or self-censorship, dramatically shrinking the country’s independent press sector. The latest arrests have reinforced fears that conditions for journalism in Afghanistan continue to worsen as authorities intensify efforts to control information and suppress dissenting voices.

Reference –

Journalists Center: Taliban Detain Three Journalists and Threaten Several Others

https://8am.media/eng/afjc-condemns-arrest-of-three-journalists-in-kabul/