KABUL, December 18, 2023 - Ruhollah Sangar, a reporter for TOLO News in Parwan province, has been unjustly detained by the Directorate of Intelligence of the province. The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), expressing deep concern over Sangar's arrest, urgently calls for his immediate and unconditional release.
Sources in Parwan and Kabul have informed AFJC that Ruhollah Sangar was apprehended on Sunday, December 17, by members of the Taliban General Directorate of Intelligence while performing his duties in Charikar city, the capital of Parwan province.
As of now, the local administration and GDI office in Parwan province have not provided any official comment regarding the circumstances surrounding Sangar's arrest.
AFJC is gravely concerned about the arrest of Ruhollah Sangar and the lack of information regarding his situation and well-being. Consequently, AFJC demands the prompt and unconditional release of Sangar. Furthermore, AFJC urges the local administration to handle any complaints against the journalist within the bounds of media law, utilizing the Commission for Media Complaints and Violations as the appropriate channel.
Regrettably, this incident adds to the growing number of incarcerated journalists, with at least two others currently detained. Abdur Rahim Mohammadi, a reporter for Tamadon TV in southern Kandahar province, was summoned to the provincial intelligence department on December 4 and subsequently arrested. Likewise, Sultan Ali Jawadi, head of Nasim private radio station in central Daikundi province, was arrested twice on September 27 and October 7, spending a total of 17 days in prison. Recently, on December 11, Jawadi was sentenced to one year in prison by the primary court of Daikundi.
During the first six months of the ongoing 1402 Solar year (March 21-September 21, 2023), AFJC has documented a concerning total of 75 incidents, including arrests and threats, that violate the freedom of journalists and media. Specifically, there have been 33 journalists arrested and 42 cases of threats reported. The majority of these arrests have been carried out by the intelligence department, implicating various government agencies, particularly the intelligence, information, and culture sectors, in cases of threats against journalists and media.