Journalist Habib-ur-Rahman Taseer from Radio Azadi in southeastern Ghazni has been detained in a detention center by the Taliban intelligence since 12 days ago and has now been transferred to the prison of the province. The Afghanistan Journalists Center expresses serious concern about Taseer's continued detention and demands his immediate and unconditional release.

A journalist in Ghazni province, who spoke to AFJC on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation by local Taliban officials, revealed that Habib-ur-Rahman Taseer was arrested on April 6 by the intelligence department of the province. Taseer was reportedly detained for preparing local reports for Radio Azadi, with his smartphone seized and its contents checked without his consent.

Radio Azadi has not officially responded to the situation. Another source in Ghazni provincne told AFJC that Taseer had faced pressure before his arrest, including being removed from a joint WhatsApp group of journalists and local officials. Efforts to secure Taseer's release have been unsuccessful, leading to his transfer from the intelligence detention center to the provincial prison. His case is expected to be sent to court.

Radio Azadi, based in Prague, Czech Republic, produces and broadcasts programs for Afghanistan. In December 2022, the FM frequency of Radio Azadi and Voice of America, both US government-supported outlets, were cut by Taliban order. Two months later, the websites of these outlets were also closed in Afghanistan, with the Taliban accusing them of spreading propaganda against the group.

AFJC calls on local Taliban officials in Ghazni province to release Habib-ur-Rahman Taseer promptly and unconditionally, emphasizing that journalists should be able to carry out their work without limitations or threats and should be supported.

Currently, three journalists are in custody in the country. AFJC data shows that at least 59 journalists and media workers were arrested in the last solar year alone. The majority of these cases involved violations of Taliban media directives, which contradict the country's media laws. Failure to adhere to these directives is deemed criminal.