Abdulhaq Hamidi (right) and Ahmad Jawad Rasooli (left), journalists of "Gardesh-e-Etilaat" news agency, were unjustly summoned and subsequently arrested by GDI in Kabul on January 18, 2024.
Kabul, January 18, 2024 - Ahmad Jawad Rasooli and Abdulhaq Hamidi, journalists of "Gardesh-e-Etilaat" news agency, were unexpectedly summoned and subsequently arrested by the intelligence department in Kabul. The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) expresses deep concern over their detention and demands their immediate and unconditional release.
Relatives of Ahmad Jawad Rasooli and Abdulhaq Hamidi have informed the AFJC that the two journalists were arrested by GDI in Kabul yesterday morning. According to a family member of Hamidi, "On Wednesday the 17th, Abdulhaq received an unidentified call instructing him and Ahmad Jawad Rasooli to appear at the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) office in Kabul at 9 am on Thursday. Upon their arrival, they were immediately detained and subjected to interrogation."
The family member further stated, "Around 4:00 p.m. the following day, intelligence officers brought Hamidi back to his home, he took his phone as instructed by the GDI members. He informed his wife that their arrest is related to their journalistic activities, and an ongoing investigation is underway. Hamidi was then taken back to the GDI office by the officers."
The GDI refrains from confirming or denying the arrest or investigation of journalists. Representatives from the Taliban government, including the Ministry of Information and Culture, have also refrained from commenting on the matter.
The Gardesh-e-Etilaat News Agency was officially established in June 2023, with Ahmad Jawad Rasooli serving as the proprietor and Abdulhaq Hamidi as the editor-in-chief. Together, they manage the operations of the news agency.
AFJC strongly condemns the detention of Ahmad Jawad Rasooli and Abdulhaq Hamidi and urges the GDI to release them immediately and unconditionally. According to the Afghanistan Mass Media Law, journalists have the right to carry out their professional duties freely, without any restrictions or threats, with the steadfast support of those in power.
Concerns heighten as these journalists are apprehended during a time when complaints against journalists and media outlets should be addressed through the Media Complaints Commission, as stipulated by the Mass Media Law. However, in practice, this commission has become ineffective, with the intelligence department instilling fear through arbitrary detentions of journalists, causing widespread panic.
In 2023, the AFJC documented 168 instances of violations against journalists' rights in the country, with 61 cases involving journalist arrests.