Detained Afghan Journalist Mahdi Ansari Released Amid Ongoing Media Freedom Concerns

The Afghanistan Journalists Center announced that Mahdi Ansari, a detained journalist, was released from Taliban custody last night (Thursday) and has reunited with his family.

According to the center’s newsletter, Ansari was arrested on October 6, 2024. He was subsequently sentenced by the Kabul Primary Court on December 31 of the same year to one and a half years in prison on charges of “negative propaganda” against the Taliban administration.

The charge of “negative propaganda” has been repeatedly used in recent years against journalists and media activists, raising concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression and press protection in the country.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center further reported that at least 21 journalists have been detained by the Taliban administration in 2025, with four still in custody. Media support organizations have consistently called for an end to arbitrary arrests and for ensuring job security and safety for journalists nationwide.