Afghanistan's Taliban regime has detained at least three journalists, including the head of Kabul-based Paigard News Agency and two staff members from Afghanistan's first 24-hour news channel TOLOnews, according to a statement by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Media and rights groups reported these detentions. The UN mission called for "the authorities to uphold their obligations under international human rights law and ensure that journalists can do their work without fear of intimidation, harassment, or reprisal." More than 40% of Afghanistan's media outlets closed within three months after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, according to Reporters Without Borders.
Women have been barred from most journalism roles. Afghanistan ranks among the world's most dangerous countries for journalists, said Reporters Without Borders. The Taliban's Ministry of Information and Culture confirmed the detention of Imran Danish and Mansoor Niazi from TOLOnews, stating their cases were under investigation without specifying charges.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Jawed Niazi, head of Paigard News Agency, was arrested late last week by Taliban intelligence forces at his office in Kabul. UNAMA emphasized that journalists should be protected to ensure they can perform their duties safely and without fear of retaliation. The ongoing restrictions on media freedom have created a challenging environment for reporters operating under the Taliban's rule.
