In a grave escalation of press repression, Taliban authorities have detained three journalists in Takhar province, reportedly subjecting them to torture during their custody. The detainees include Sayed Munir Hadaf, director of Tasweer Weekly and head of the National Journalists’ Union of Takhar; Asadullah Timur, a local reporter; and Nasratullah Ebrahimi, a journalist with Ariana News.
Sources indicate that the arrests occurred on May 5, 2025, following a verbal altercation between Timur and a tailor, who is allegedly associated with the Taliban’s intelligence chief. Timur’s subsequent social media post about the incident led to his detention by the Taliban’s Criminal Investigation Department. Hadaf and Ebrahimi were later arrested while attempting to secure Timur’s release.
Reports suggest that all three journalists were subjected to torture during their detention. Their cases may now be transferred to the Taliban’s intelligence agency.
This incident underscores the ongoing repression of media freedom in Afghanistan. A UN report from November 2024 documented 256 instances of arbitrary arrest and detention of journalists, along with 130 cases of torture and ill-treatment under Taliban rule.
Despite claims of respecting press freedom, the Taliban’s actions continue to raise serious concerns among international human rights organisations. The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organisation has called for the immediate release of the detained journalists and an end to the systematic repression of media personnel in Afghanistan.
The international community is urged to hold the Taliban accountable for these violations and to support Afghan journalists in their struggle for press freedom and human rights.
