Taliban arrest TOLOnews journalists in Kabul

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 12 May 2026 |  JP Asia Desk

Taliban authorities detained TOLOnews journalists Imran Danish and Mansoor Niazi in Kabul, prompting alarm from international press freedom groups who say the detentions by intelligence handlers signal a deepening crackdown on independent media.

Summary

KABUL—Taliban authorities have detained TOLOnews journalists Imran Danish and Mansoor Niazi in Kabul, triggering renewed concern among international press freedom organizations over the worsening climate for independent journalism in Afghanistan.

The arrests were reported over the weekend by Afghan media watchdogs and exile-based outlets monitoring press freedom conditions in the country. Taliban officials acknowledged the detentions but did not publicly disclose formal charges or provide details about the journalists’ legal status.

Media rights groups said the detentions were carried out by Taliban intelligence authorities and reflected increasing pressure on journalists working for prominent Afghan broadcasters and international media-linked organizations.

Media crackdown deepens in Kabul

The Afghanistan Journalists Center said at least three journalists had recently been detained in Kabul, while several others received threats linked to their reporting. Amnesty International also raised alarm over what it described as arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances involving Afghan media workers.

Afghanistan International reported that Taliban intelligence personnel surrounded the offices of TOLOnews and its parent company, Moby Group, for several hours after reports of the arrests became public.

The Taliban administration has tightened restrictions on Afghanistan’s media sector since returning to power in August 2021. Journalists have faced arrests, interrogations, censorship directives, newsroom closures, and limitations on reporting related to politics, governance, and security matters.

Independent journalism faces mounting pressure

International watchdogs, including the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, have repeatedly warned that Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most difficult environments for independent journalism.

Women journalists have been particularly affected by Taliban directives restricting employment, travel, dress codes, and on-air appearances. Several Afghan media outlets have reduced operations, shut down, or relocated abroad because of political and economic pressure.

The latest detentions come amid broader regional concerns over shrinking media freedoms and increasing pressure on journalists covering political instability and governance issues across South and Central Asia.

Analysts say the detention of journalists from one of Afghanistan’s most recognizable broadcasters signals growing intolerance toward independent reporting and media scrutiny inside the country.

International concern grows over detentions

Press freedom advocates in exile have urged the United Nations, European Union, and international rights organizations to pressure the Taliban for the immediate release of detained journalists and stronger guarantees for media safety.

The Taliban government has defended its media restrictions as necessary to protect “national interests” and “Islamic values,” while critics argue the measures have severely damaged independent journalism and public access to information.

Afghanistan continues to rank among the lowest countries globally in press freedom assessments, reflecting ongoing concerns over censorship, intimidation, and restrictions imposed on local media organizations.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan, based on publicly available reports by KabulNow and Afghanistan International, published May 11, 2026, and statements from Amnesty International and the Afghanistan Journalists Center.

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only.