Afghanistan: 3 journalists arrested by Taliban forces

Kabul [Afghanistan], April 6 (ANI): Three journalists have been arrested by the Taliban forces in the Baghlan province in northern Afghanistan, local sources said, Khaama Press reported.

Three journalists, including two reporters from Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) and a journalist for the private TV Tanwir, were arrested from their area in Pule-e-Khumri, the capital city of Baghlan province, on Thursday morning, according to Khaama Press.

A journalist for Tanwir TV Ghulam Ali Wahdat, reporters from RTA network, a state TV, Safiullah Wafa and Noor Agha, have been arrested.

Although Taliban intelligence is said to have detained these journalists, the reason for their arrest is still unknown.

Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) in a statement said that despite the meetings with de facto authorities, security and intelligence institutions still interfere in the media's work.

Earlier, the institution said media freedom is deteriorating in the country, and cases of violence and intimidation of journalists increased compared to last year.

According to the AFJC, more than 236 cases of media freedom violations have been documented within the last 12 months, while it was around 117 cases for the previous year, showing a hundred per cent increase in violations, including arrests, intimidation and violent behaviour, Khaama Press.

Last month, a deadly attack occurred in the Tebyan Cultural Center during a journalists' gathering. Three people were killed, including two journalists and more than 30 were injured.

Since the regime change in the country, the media and journalists' situation has deteriorated. More than one thousand journalists, including female journalists, fled the country, and almost seven thousand lost their jobs, according to Khaama Press. (ANI)