RASC News Agency: The Center of Afghanistan Journalists has announced that Haseeb Hasas, reporter of Salam Watandar Radio in Kunduz, Attaullah Omar, reporter of TOLO News in Kandahar, and Mahboobullah Hakimi, freelance reporter in Zabul, have been released from the custody of Taliban intelligence.
In a statement, the Afghanistan Journalists Center said that on Thursday, August 31, five journalists were released from the prison of the Taliban group.
This morning, this center announced the release of Faqir Mohammad Faqirzai and Jan Agha Saleh, journalists of Killid Radio in Nangarhar.
The announcement of this center states that these journalists were arrested about three weeks ago and “they have been released from prison by providing a guarantee and complying with the Taliban’s order not to work with banned media.”
According to the Afghanistan Journalists Center, the Taliban group has unofficially banned cooperation with some of the newly established medias outside of Afghanistan that cover the country’s situation.
According to the announcement of this center, the Taliban group has not yet commented on the number of journalists released and the conditions of their release.
Welcoming the release of these five journalists, the Afghanistan Journalists Center points out that their arrest was “illegal” and their freedom should not have been taken away.
The Center of Afghanistan Journalists has stated that any complaint against journalists should be followed up on the basis of the Law of Public Media and through the Media Complaints and Violations Commission.
However, the Center of Afghanistan Journalists has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of at least five other journalists and media workers who are still in the prison of the Taliban group.
The information of the Afghanistan Journalists Center shows that at least five journalists and media workers are currently in the prison of the Taliban group, and in addition, regarding the condition of Mohammad Hussain Walaiati, a photojournalist of the “Tasnim” news agency from Iran, who is said to have been released after a week. This arrested journalism has been handed over to the Iranian embassy in Kabul; but “exit is prohibited”, no new information is available.
