International organizations report that Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban have taken at least three journalists into custody in recent days without revealing specific charges against them.
On Thursday, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan voiced “serious concern” about these arrests and “reports of assaults against journalists and confiscation of property during search operations by the de facto authorities.”
Afghanistan has become one of the globe’s most restrictive nations for media freedom since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with Reporters without Borders placing it at 175th position out of 180 countries in their 2026 rankings.
“A free, independent, and safe press is essential for transparency, accountability, and the well-being of Afghan society,” the U.N. mission stated, calling on 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.”
On Wednesday, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture confirmed that two TOLONews journalists were taken into custody “a few days ago.” Officials provided no explanation for the arrests but noted their situation remains “under investigation. The court has not yet ruled on them.”
TOLONews confirmed through social media that the detained journalists are Imran Danish and Mansoor Niazi, both arrested in Kabul. “Security officials told TOLONews that details will be shared after the relevant legal procedures are completed,” the news outlet reported.
Danish serves as a political editor for the channel while Niazi works as an anchor.
The Committee to Protect Journalists demanded their immediate freedom and reported that authorities conducted “a sweeping raid” on the broadcaster and its parent company, Moby Group, following the arrests.
The arrests and subsequent raid “underscores the climate of fear facing journalists in Afghanistan,” stated Kunal Majumder, the CPJ Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator, in a Tuesday release. “Taliban authorities must immediately and unconditionally release the detained journalists and ensure the press can operate without interference.”
The Afghanistan Journalists Center, which advocates for media freedom, reported that a third journalist, Jawid Niazi, who operates the Paigard private news agency, has also been taken into custody. The organization indicated he was detained on May 6.
The organization demanded immediate and unconditional freedom for all detained journalists. “AFJC urges the Taliban to cease all efforts to suppress media freedom, including threats, arrests, and intimidation tactics that undermine the vital role of journalism in Afghan society,” their statement declared.
Previous journalist arrests by Afghan authorities have involved various accusations. In 2022, three TOLO journalists were detained over coverage reporting that the new government had prohibited all foreign drama series broadcasts. They were subsequently freed. In 2023, the Taliban released a French-Afghan journalist who had been held for more than 280 days after a court dismissed espionage and other allegations against him.
