Mohammad Asif Fayzyar, the editor in chief of Neda-ye Baloch News Agency, has been released after spending five days in Taliban detention, according to a media watchdog.
The Afghanistan Independent Journalist Union confirmed in a statement on Saturday that Fayzyar was freed. He had been arrested on Tuesday, August 13, in Herat for publishing crime reports without obtaining prior approval from the Taliban.
In response to the arrest, the Independent Journalist Union urged the Taliban to handle media-related cases through the proper channels, specifically the Media Violations and Complaints Commission, to ensure due process.
Sources told Amu that Fayzyar was detained by the Taliban a week ago on charges of failing to coordinate with them. The sources also noted that Fayzyar has since announced the closure of his news agency.
The release of Fayzyar coincides with growing concerns about press freedom in Afghanistan. On the third anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement calling on the international community to intervene and “halt the unprecedented destruction” of Afghanistan’s media landscape and the “brutal repression of journalists.”
CPJ’s statement highlighted the urgent need for international action to protect Afghan journalists and media outlets, many of which are struggling to survive under the current regime.
