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October 19, 2024 – Afghanistan –
Afghanistan’s Taliban have escalated a brutal crackdown on journalists through the actions of their General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI). On October 5, reporter Mahdi Ansary, 27, working with Afghan News Agency, was arrested in Kabul’s Dasht-e-Barchi district by GDI agents. He was detained without formal charges, and even his family was left to search police stations before confirming his custody. A Taliban court later accused him of anti-regime “propaganda” based on his journalistic reports and Facebook posts, handing him an 18-month prison sentence effective from the arrest date.
Ansary’s trial, held January 1, 2025, was criticized for lacking adequate defense: it proceeded without his lawyer or family present. His health deteriorated in solitary confinement, where he was denied regular visits and suffered mental strain.
Two other journalists faced similar repression. Hekmat Aryan, of Khushal Radio in Ghazni, was arrested on September 29, 2024, accused of discussing Taliban “martyrdom operations.” He received a one-month sentence on October 14, with prior detention days counting toward his term. In May 2025, Sulaiman Rahil was detained by GDI agents, reportedly after a critical Facebook post, and remains held without due process.
These detentions are part of a broader pattern of media suppression. The UN reported 256 arbitrary detentions of journalists since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover. Human rights watchdogs warn that independent reporting is increasingly dangerous under vague laws and unchecked security forces . Afghan press professionals face raids, equipment confiscation, forced closures, and psychological pressure.
Human Rights Watch, CPJ, RSF, IFJ, NUJ, and Amnesty International have condemned these violations, urging the immediate release of Ansary, Rahil, and all detained journalists. They highlight that the Taliban are weaponizing legal systems and opaque censorship to silence coverage of minority rights, conflict incidents, and governance accountability.
Without immediate international pressure and internal reforms, Afghanistan’s dwindling press space is at real risk. Journalists who dare report—even peacefully—are increasingly vulnerable to arbitrary arrest, harsh sentences, and invisible detention.
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