Taliban arrest journalist in Bagram District

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 21 June 2024

Journalist Abdullah Danish was arrested by Taliban intelligence in Bagram district while returning from Kabul. His arrest is linked to critical reporting on Taliban policies.

Summary

KABUL—Taliban intelligence arrested journalist Abdullah Danish, while he was returning from Kabul in Bagram district and taken to an unknown location.

The reason for the journalist's arrest is still unclear. The Taliban have not yet commented on the matter.

Danish has worked for the private Mitra TV, the state-run Maaref TV, and Radio Donya in Parwan. Presently he was a news manager for the website Revayat.

Since taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on the country’s media. The group has repeatedly arrested and imprisoned journalists.

Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists said that Taliban must investigate the arbitrary detention and beating of Danish and cease intimidating members of the press over their work.

The source told CPJ that Danish was questioned over an April 3 report for the Khane Mawlana cultural center that was critical of the Taliban's education policies and an April 21 Facebook post alleging the Taliban were using schools as military bases in Kapisa province.

Danish was held in an unknown location and severely beaten, sustaining a head injury, before being released on June 15 and going into hiding, the source said.

"The Taliban must immediately and impartially investigate the arbitrary detention and beating of journalist Abdullah Danish and hold those responsible to account," said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi. "It is high time for the Taliban to take responsibility for the safety of the media and to allow reporters to critically cover issues of public interest without fear of reprisal."

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid did not respond to CPJ's request for comment.

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