The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan on Thursday called on Taliban to clarify the legal basis for the detention of at least three journalists and to respect due process rights, amid growing concern over press freedom in Afghanistan.
In a statement, referring indirectly to Taliban raid on TOLOnews office in Kabul, UNAMA said it was “seriously concerned” about the detention of journalists on unspecified charges and reports of assaults against media workers and confiscation of property during search operations carried out by the Taliban.
The mission urged Taliban to ensure that journalists are able to work “without fear of intimidation, harassment, or reprisal.”
“A free, independent, and safe press is essential for transparency, accountability, and the well-being of Afghan society,” the statement said.
UNAMA did not identify the detained journalists by name, but the statement follows the recent arrests of Mansoor Niazi and Imran Danish, two journalists with TOLOnews, as well as Jawed Niazi, editor of the local Paigard news agency.
Taliban have confirmed the detention of the two TOLOnews journalists, saying their cases are under investigation, but they have not publicly disclosed the reasons for the arrests.
Sources previously told Amu TV that Taliban intelligence forces later raided the offices of TOLOnews, a news agency owned by MOBY Group, in Kabul with dozens of armed personnel, surrounding the compound for several hours and inspecting employees’ mobile phones.
Sources also said Taliban intelligence members confiscated computers from a department inside Moby Group and treated some employees, particularly women staff members, harshly during the operation.
The recent arrests have prompted condemnation from international rights groups and press freedom organizations.
Earlier this week, Amnesty International said the detentions appeared to be part of a broader pattern of intimidation and reprisals against journalists in Afghanistan.
Nai in Exile, an Afghan media advocacy organization, has also called on the United Nations and the European Union to pressure Taliban authorities to release detained journalists.
According to media rights groups, at least seven journalists are currently being held in Taliban custody.
Since returning to power in 2021, Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on independent journalism, including tighter controls on reporting, arbitrary detentions and expanded censorship measures.
Afghanistan ranked 175th out of 180 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.
