RASC News Agency: Concurrently with the surge in violence against journalists and media perpetrated by the Taliban, the Global Committee for the Protection of Journalists has unequivocally demanded that the group desist from the harassment, intimidation, and detention of reporters.
As per a statement issued by the Global Committee for the Protection of Journalists on the night of Monday, January 22nd, the committee is urgently calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Ehsan Akbari, a journalist affiliated with a Japanese media outlet, who has been apprehended by the Taliban.
According to reports, Ehsan Akbari, a journalist for Kyodo News Japan, was summoned to the Taliban’s media center last Wednesday and subsequently detained by the group’s intelligence. Taliban intelligence forces purportedly raided Mr. Akbari’s workplace the following day, confiscating his laptop and camera. He was compelled to contact his home, surrendering his smartphone to intelligence personnel at the doorstep.
The detention and confiscation of Mr. Akbari’s professional equipment have been verified by Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, who asserted that the journalist’s arrest was due to “transferring information to anti-Taliban circles.”
This development occurs in the backdrop of the Taliban, having assumed control over the country, imposing escalating restrictions on journalistic endeavors and media activities. This has resulted in the suspension of operations for some media outlets and prompted several journalists to forsake their profession.
