Kyodo Journalist Ehsan Akbari Finally Released after 9 Days in Detention

Kyodo Journalist Ehsan Akbari Finally Released after 9 Days in Detention

Kabul, January 25, 2024 - Ehsan Akbari, a reporter for Japan's "Kyodo" news agency, was released from custody today after being unlawfully detained in Kabul for nine days. The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) applauds his release and stresses that his arrest violated the Afghanistan Media law, emphasizing that he should never have been detained in the first place.

According to a relative of Ehsan Akbari, the journalist was released today around 3:00 pm Kabul time. Another source mentioned that his release was facilitated through a procedure following the "Commitment to Preserve Taliban Media Policy." Unfortunately, during this process, the intelligence services confiscated some of his identification documents.

The GDI typically adheres to a policy of neither confirming nor denying the arrest or release of journalists. Furthermore, the Taliban government spokesperson and the Ministry of Information and Culture have refrained from making any comments regarding this issue.

Ehsan Akbari was arrested on Wednesday, January 17 in Kabul, according to his family. Sayed Amir Akbari, Ehsan's brother, stated, "On Wednesday, Ehsan was summoned to the Government Media and Information Center (GMIC) and subsequently arrested. The following morning, members of the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) took Ehsan to the Kyodo news agency office in Kabul's Share-Naw area, seized his equipment including his computer and camera, and forced him to call his family and hand over his smartphone to the intelligence officers. They proceeded to retrieve the phone from his residence."

AFJC welcome the release of Ehsan Akbari and highlights that the initial arrest of this journalist was an unlawful act, infringing upon his freedom. “This arrest directly violated the Media Law, which explicitly states that complaints against journalists and media should be addressed by the Media Complaints and Rights Violations Commission.” “AFJC urgently calls upon the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) to cease the mass arrests of journalists, which perpetuate fear and self-censorship within the journalism community and hinder the operation of media outlets in line with the media law as acknowledged by the Taliban government.”

This incident marks the third reported case of journalist arrests within the past week. Ahmad Jawad Rasooli and Abdulhaq Hamidi, journalists from Gardesh-e-Etilaat News Agency, were detained by the GDI in Kabul on January 18 but were subsequently released on January 20 after posting bail.

In 2023, the AFJC documented 168 incidents of violations against journalists in the country, including 61 cases of journalist and media worker arrests. Currently, two individuals remain in detention. Aminullah Alemi, the manager of Mumtaz Radio station in Fariab province, was sentenced to one year in prison in August on charges related to a non-media and personal issue. Sultan Ali Jawadi, the manager of Nasim Radio in Daikundi province, was arrested multiple times by the GDI and sentenced to one year in prison on December 11, 2023.

 


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