UN and media rights groups say Afghanistan's Taliban have arrested 3 journalists

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The United Nations and rights groups say Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have detained at least three journalists on undisclosed charges in recent days.

The U.N. mission in Afghanistan expressed “serious concern” Thursday over the detentions, as well as over “reports of assaults against journalists and confiscation of property during search operations by the de facto authorities.”

Since the Taliban seized power in 2021, Afghanistan ranks among the worst countries in the world in terms of press freedom, with the 2026 index from Reporters without Borders ranking it 175 out of 180.

“A free, independent, and safe press is essential for transparency, accountability, and the well-being of Afghan society,” the U.N. mission said, and urged authorities “to uphold their obligations under international human rights law and ensure that journalists can do their work without fear of intimidation, harassment, or reprisal.”

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture said Wednesday that two journalists for the Afghan news channel TOLONews had been arrested “a few days ago.” It did not give a reason, but said their case was “under investigation. The court has not yet ruled on them.”

In a social media post, TOLONews identified the journalists as Imran Danish and Mansoor Niazi, and said they had been detained in Kabul. “Security officials told TOLONews that details will be shared after the relevant legal procedures are completed,” it said.

Niazi is an anchor on the channel and Danish is a political editor.

The Committee to Protect Journalists called for their immediate release, and said the detentions were followed by “a sweeping raid” on the broadcaster and its parent company, Moby Group.

Their detention and the raid “underscores the climate of fear facing journalists in Afghanistan,” Kunal Majumder, the CPJ Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator, said in a statement released Tuesday. “Taliban authorities must immediately and unconditionally release the detained journalists and ensure the press can operate without interference.”

The Afghanistan Journalists Center, an organization promoting press freedom, said a third journalist, reporter Jawid Niazi, who owns the Paigard private news agency, has also been detained. It said information indicated he was detained on May 6.

The group called for the immediate and unconditional release of the journalists. “AFJC urges the Taliban to cease all efforts to suppress media freedom, including threats, arrests, and intimidation tactics that undermine the vital role of journalism in Afghan society,” it said in a statement.

Afghan authorities have arrested journalists in the past over a variety of charges. In 2022, three journalists working for TOLO were arrested over a report that the new government had banned all broadcasts of foreign drama series. They were later released. In 2023, the Taliban released a French-Afghan journalist held for more than 280 days after a court cleared him of espionage and other charges.