Increase in Detention of Journalists: Eight Journalists Detained from Six Afghan Provinces

Bayan News – Simultaneously with the second anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s control, the Afghan Journalists Support Organization expresses concerns over the detention of eight local journalists in six Afghan provinces.

In a statement released on Monday (August 14th), the organization stated that the eight journalists have been detained by forces of the Islamic Emirate in the provinces of Kandahar, Nangarhar, Kunduz, Khost, Paktia, and Ghazni.

The detained journalists are identified as Ataullah Omar and Wahid Rahman Afghanmal from Kandahar, Firoz Mohammad Faqirzai and Jan-Agha Saleh from Nangarhar, Parviz from Kunduz, Hesab Hesas from Khost, Habibullah Sarab from Paktia, and Sayed Wahdat Abadali from Ghazni.

The Afghan Journalists Support Organization considers the detention of these journalists unlawful and calls on the caretaker government officials to take immediate action for their release.

The organization’s statement reads, “The Afghan Journalists Support Organization urges the caretaker government to prevent arbitrary and unlawful detentions and ensure the immediate release of these journalists, so that freedom of expression, freedom of journalistic work, and free flow of information are not further harmed.”

The organization calls upon freedom of expression advocates, media organizations worldwide to responsibly advocate for the release of journalists and also exert necessary diplomatic pressures on the caretaker government in Kabul, so that the voice of freedom of expression remains strong.

The caretaker government in Kabul, as well as local officials, have not officially commented on the detention of these journalists.