Arrested while reporting in his native country, Franco-Afghan journalist Mortaza Behboudi has been detained since January 7 in Afghanistan, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and fourteen media announced on Monday, February 6, calling for his release. 

"We call on the Taliban regime to put an end to this senseless situation", write the NGO for the defense of the press and these media in a joint appeal.

"We kept silent for 30 days about the detention of Franco-Afghan journalist Mortaza Behboudi, in a prison in Kabul, Afghanistan," they explain.

"A month after his arrest, on January 7 in the Afghan capital, we are making the information public today, hoping that he will be released as soon as possible and will be able to return to France", continue RSF and the signatory media, among which include France Télévisions, Radio France, Liberation, Mediapart, France 24, TV5 Monde or La Croix.

Originally from Afghanistan, but a refugee in France, Mortaza Behboudi, 28, went to his native country on January 5 for a report and was arrested on the 7th, "as he was preparing to recover his press accreditation “, according to the call.

Awarded the Bayeux prize for war correspondents

On January 15, "his mobile phone called the RSF assistance service" without leaving a message and, "since then, his phone has not answered". 

"We only know that after 11 days of detention in a Kabul prison for failure to present accreditation, he was transferred to another prison in the capital and is allegedly under espionage charges", adds the call, according to which "a channel for discussions has been opened by RSF with the Taliban authorities".

Born in Afghanistan, Mortaza Behboudi lived in Iran, where his parents were refugees, before returning to his native country, where he began his career as a photo-reporter.

A refugee in France from 2015, he created the information site Guiti News with fellow exiles.

He has collaborated with many French media, including France Télévisions, TV5 Monde, Arte, Radio France, Mediapart, Liberation and La Croix. 

He is co-author of the series of reports "Across Afghanistan, under the Taliban", published on Mediapart, awarded last year by the Bayeux prize for war correspondents and the Varenne prize for the national daily press.

With AFP 

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