KABUL: The Afghan authorities has arrested two journalists from the leading private broadcaster TOLOnews, prompting strong criticism from media watchdogs and press freedom organisations.
TOLOnews said in a post on X on Sunday that two of their journalists, Imran Danish and Mansoor Niazi, had been detained in Kabul.
“Security officials, in talks with TOLOnews, have said that details on this matter will be shared after the relevant legal procedures,” the media outlet added.
Afghanistan’s information and culture ministry later confirmed the arrests.
“A few days ago, two TOLOnews journalists were arrested by security agencies,” ministry spokesman Khobaib Ghofran said in a statement.
“Their case is under investigation. The court has not ruled yet,” he added, without specifying the reasons behind the arrests.
Advocacy group the Committee to Protect Journalists, in an X post on Tuesday, called on Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to “immediately and unconditionally release the detained journalists and ensure the press can operate without interference”.
Afghanistan currently ranks 175 out of 180 countries on the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index.
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