Afghanistan: two journalists arrested and beaten while covering protest
Demonstration in Kabul, September 7, 2021 (illustrative image).
AP - Wali Sabawoon
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
With regime change in Afghanistan, the treatment of journalists is already being felt.
On Wednesday, September 8, two journalists covering a women's demonstration against the Taliban's new power were arrested and then beaten.
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With our correspondent in the region,
Sonia Ghezali
These incidents have been increasing in the country since religious fundamentalists took power.
Human rights organizations do not hide their concern.
Human Rights Watch, for example, recalled in a statement on Thursday, September 9, that “
arbitrary restrictions on the rights to freedom of speech and expression, in particular through the detention of journalists and the banning of media, and peaceful assembly
”are prohibited under international human rights law.
"
They couldn't even walk properly
"
A right that the Taliban do not seem to respect for the moment, as evidenced by Zaki Daryabi, the boss of
Etilaat Roz
, a newspaper which employs Taqi Daryabi, photographer and Nematullah Naqdi, cameraman.
Both were arrested by the Taliban while covering a demonstration by opponents of the regime.
The photos of their bodies covered with bruises were relayed on social networks: “
Nemat Naqdi and Taqi Daryabi were severely tortured by the Taliban
, says Zaki Daryabi,
they could not even walk properly.
After giving them some water, with the help of other colleagues, we transferred them to the hospital.
They were treated for over three hours.
"
Journalists are afraid
Etilaat Rooz
received Transparency International's anti-corruption award for his in-depth investigations.
Zaki Daryabi doubts whether he can continue to do this investigative work without risking his life: “The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan has made all journalists, including our colleagues, fearful and even terrified.
This is also why we had to stop distributing our newspaper since the Taliban took power.
Because we don't know what their reactions might be to our activities ”.
Many journalists have fled Afghanistan in the face of threats.
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To read also: Afghanistan: "I receive calls from strangers who seek to know where I am"
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Afghanistan
Freedom of press
Human rights
Taliban
Terrorism