Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Mahdi Ansari, a journalist imprisoned by the Taliban in Kabul.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the human rights organization said the Taliban had arbitrarily detained Ansari for peacefully exercising his human rights.
According to Amnesty International, Ansari, a journalist with Afghan News Agency, has been denied a fair trial, access to legal representation, and regular visits with his family.
Ansari, 27, was arrested on October 5, 2024, by members of the Taliban’s intelligence unit, known as “Intelligence 40,” in western Kabul. On January 1, 2025, he was sentenced to one and a half years in prison on charges of “propaganda against the regime” following a trial conducted without the presence of his family or legal counsel.
During his detention, he has reportedly faced mistreatment, including prolonged solitary confinement and severe restrictions on family visits. Amnesty International stated that his family was allowed to see him only once, for five minutes, a month after his arrest.
The case has drawn condemnation from international press freedom organizations, including the International Federation of Journalists and the Afghanistan Journalists Center, both of which have voiced concern over his sentencing and called for his immediate release.
Earlier, media rights groups denounced the court’s ruling as “unjust.”
In its statement, Amnesty International urged the global community to take action to secure Ansari’s release and to pressure the Taliban to end violations of press freedoms in Afghanistan.
