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February 04, 2025 – Afghanistan –
The Taliban regime has intensified its suppression of press freedom with the sentencing of Afghan journalist Mahdi Ansary to 18 months in prison on vague anti-regime charges. Ansary, a reporter for the Kabul-based YouTube channel “Rah-e-Farda,” was convicted in a closed-door military court without due process or legal representation, raising widespread alarm among press freedom advocates and international rights organizations.
Ansary was arrested on October 5, 2023, by the Taliban’s intelligence agency and held incommunicado for over 100 days. His conviction in early January 2025 was reportedly based on his interviews and social media content that allegedly criticized the de facto authorities. The charges against him remain ambiguous, and his family and colleagues were barred from attending the proceedings.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), have strongly condemned the sentencing. Amnesty described the verdict as part of a broader Taliban effort to “crush dissent” and “eliminate independent journalism.” The group also called on the Taliban to overturn Ansary’s conviction, release him immediately, and ensure that all journalists in Afghanistan can report without fear of retribution.
The case reflects a worsening environment for media workers in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power in August 2021. Dozens of journalists have been detained, tortured, or threatened, and many independent outlets have shut down under pressure. According to the IFJ, at least 80% of women journalists have been forced out of the profession, and a growing number of reporters face imprisonment or exile.
International observers warn that the Taliban’s increasing use of the judiciary to criminalize journalism signals a systemic approach to silencing critical voices. Mahdi Ansary’s case, emblematic of the broader crackdown, underscores the urgent need for international pressure to defend press freedom in Afghanistan.
Rights groups continue to call for coordinated action, including the engagement of UN human rights mechanisms, to protect journalists and push back against the regime’s escalating repression.
Reference –
Taliban sentences Afghan journalist Mahdi Ansary to 18 months in prison
Afghanistan: Release journalist convicted of propaganda: Mahdi Ansari
