KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban intelligence forces have detained three journalists in the northern province of Takhar over the past two days, according to local sources.
The journalists — Asadullah Timur and Sayed Munir Hadaf of the Tasweer weekly, and Nusratullah Ibrahimi of Ariana News — were taken into custody by Taliban intelligence members and transferred to an undisclosed location, sources familiar with the matter told Amu TV. Their current whereabouts and condition remain unknown.
Taliban have not publicly commented on the arrests.
Since reclaiming power in August 2021, the Taliban have been accused of repeatedly detaining journalists, civil society activists and critics of the regime. Human rights organizations and international observers have warned that such actions amount to a broad crackdown on freedom of expression.
Matiullah Ansari, a reporter for Afghan News Agency, remains in Taliban custody after being detained months ago. His status and condition are also unknown.
In a recent report, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed concern over the Taliban’s interference in media operations and warned that the increasing detention of journalists constituted a serious violation of press freedoms. The report cited arbitrary arrests, censorship, and restrictions on reporting as key trends undermining the country’s media environment.
In addition to arrests, the Taliban have enforced sweeping media restrictions. A separate investigation by Amu TV previously revealed that state-run television under Taliban control had banned the broadcast of images of living beings in at least 16 provinces — part of broader efforts to censor visual content deemed religiously inappropriate.
Over the past three years, media outlets in Afghanistan have faced growing pressure, with many journalists forced to operate in secrecy or flee the country. The situation has prompted international condemnation and calls for protection of the press.
