July 21, 2024
KABUL – The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) is demanding the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Sayed Rahim Saidi from Taliban authorities, as well as an end to the unjust detention of press members in the line of duty.
On July 14, Seyed Rahim Saidi, the managing director and producer of Anar Media, a YouTube-based broadcaster, was detained by members of the Taliban General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) along with his son, Sayed Wares Saidi, who is also a reporter at the outlet. This incident took place in the Khushhal Khan area of Kabul city, close to the outlet's office. The GDI also raided the office and detained its cameraman, Hasib, as well as two other individuals from the compound, an old friend of Sayed Rahim Saidi, who is familiar with the case, told AFJC on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation by the Taliban.
The GDI later released reporter Sayed Waris Saidi and Cameraman Hasib, along with the other detained persons, the following day. However, Sayed Rahim Saidi remains in custody with no information available on his whereabouts.
There has been no comment from the intelligence agency, the Ministry of Information and Culture, or the Taliban government spokesman regarding the reason for the arrest of Saeedi and his colleagues.
Seyed Rahim Saidi has over two decades of experience in the field of media and production of media content, film, and cinema. He has previously worked as a production manager and producer with Ariana TV since its establishment in Kabul in 2005. Saidi took over Anar Media backed by a private investor, approximately five months ago. The broadcaster, which has more than 17,000 followers on YouTube, produces a variety of social, cultural, and religious programs.
AFJC stated, "The detention of journalists Seyed Rahim Saidi, Sayed Waris Saidi, and Hasib is a troubling and unacceptable escalation of attacks on independent media." The AFJC is calling on Taliban authorities to release Seyed Rahim Saidi immediately and unconditionally and to end the practice of imprisoning journalists for simply doing their job.
Recent findings by AFJC, released last week, revealed that 29 journalists and media workers had been detained from January to June 2024, with most cases carried out by the GDI and the Ministry of Virtue and Vice.