UN Special Rapporteur: Four Journalists Detained in Taliban Prisons
Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan for the Human Rights Council, has stated that at least four journalists and media workers are currently being held in Taliban-run prisons. On Sunday, May 3rd, he issued a statement calling for their immediate release and emphasized that arbitrary detentions must come to an end.
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, Bennett said that there is no better time than today to free these journalists. He added that beyond these four individuals, all those who have been arbitrarily detained in Afghanistan should also be released, highlighting serious concerns about the human rights situation under Taliban rule.
The UN special rapporteur also described the state of the media in Afghanistan as deeply troubling and noted that media organizations face severe financial difficulties and declining international support alongside security and political restrictions. These conditions have forced many media outlets to limit or cease their operations.
Meanwhile, Richard Lindsay, the UK Special Representative for Afghanistan, also posted on X that Afghan journalists continue to work under difficult conditions. Having recently visited Kabul and met with Taliban officials, he wrote that he met journalists who, despite challenges and concerns, reflect public interests and give a voice to those in need.
However, Lindsay’s message did not mention issues of censorship, pressure, or the detention of journalists by the Taliban administration—matters repeatedly highlighted by media watchdog organizations.
Earlier, the Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that over the past year, 150 violations of journalists’ and media workers’ rights have been recorded at the hands of the Taliban administration. This figure underscores the continued widespread restrictions and threats facing the media environment in the country.
