The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Taliban intelligence agents have detained a journalist working for Afghanistan's TOLOnews television in the northeastern province of Badakhshan, a media watchdog said Thursday, calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) said Nazem Qasemi was arrested around 9 p.m. Wednesday at his home in Faizabad, the provincial capital, by Taliban intelligence personnel.
The watchdog said Taliban authorities in Badakhshan had not disclosed the reason for the arrest. However, citing a local source, it said the detention may be linked to a recent Facebook post in which Qasemi criticized the Taliban's treatment of residents in the province.
The AFJC condemned the detention and urged the Taliban to release Qasemi and other journalists and media workers being held.
The organization also called on the Taliban to respect press freedom, end what it described as a policy of restricting independent voices and allow journalists to work without intimidation or arbitrary detention.
According to the AFJC, at least four journalists and media workers are currently being held in detention or prison in Afghanistan.
The Taliban had not commented on Qasemi's reported detention by the time of publication.
