IFJ urges immediate release of Afghan journalist Mahdi Ansari
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), continuing its response to the detention of Mahdi Ansari, has called on the Taliban to drop all charges against the journalist and release him from prison.
In a statement released late Monday, January 13, the IFJ condemned the Taliban’s Supreme Court order sentencing Mahdi Ansari to 18 months in prison.
Mahdi Ansari, who was arrested on October 5, 2024, in the Dasht-e-Barchi area in western Kabul, was sentenced to 18 months in prison by an the Taliban court.
The International Federation of Journalists stated that the accused Mahdi Ansari of collaborating with media outlets outside Afghanistan and conducting propaganda against the government.
The organization expressed concern over the “continued detention and harassment of journalists by the Taliban” and urged the Taliban administration to put an end to these actions against Afghanistan’s journalists.
Last week, the Afghanistan Journalists Center also reacted to the Taliban court’s ruling, calling the arrest of Mahdi Ansari and the charges of anti-regime propaganda against him “illegal and against the principles of freedom of expression.”
The Taliban has not yet responded to the reactions of journalist-supporting organizations regarding Mahdi Ansari’s detention. However, the Afghanistan Independent Journalists Union (AIJU) announced that efforts to reduce Ansari’s sentence in the next court hearing are ongoing.
The detention of Mahdi Ansari raises broader concerns about the shrinking space for press freedom in Afghanistan. Continued suppression of journalists undermines fundamental rights and limits the ability of the media to report freely and impartially.
International organizations and press advocacy groups must amplify their efforts to pressure the Taliban to uphold international norms on press freedom. Collective action is essential to protect Afghanistan’s journalists and ensure their safety in a challenging environment.
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