On Wednesday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announced the release of French-Afghan journalist Mortaza Behboudi, who had been detained by a Taliban court in Afghanistan for 284 days. All charges against Behboudi, which included allegations of espionage and illegal support for foreigners, were nullified during a criminal court hearing in Kabul. Following the decision, he was promptly released from Pul-e-Charkhi prison in the country’s capital.
Behboudi, a 29-year-old originally from Afghanistan, was granted refugee status in France in 2015. There, he co-founded Guiti News with other Afghan exiles. On January 5th of this year, he returned to his homeland on a reporting assignment. Just two days into his trip, authorities apprehended him while he was awaiting the issuance of press accreditation. Behboudi was subsequently imprisoned at the PD3 (Police District 3) police station in Kabul. Within a fortnight, he was handed over to the custody of the Taliban intelligence service, the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), on accusations of espionage. With the help of RSF, two Afghan lawyers were enlisted to defend him and gain access to his case files.
In light of his work reporting on life in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime, Behboudi was also a recipient of the Bayeux Prize for War Correspondents. His release was welcomed by prominent figures and organizations, including UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, Amnesty International, and the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC).
Behboudi’s spouse, Aleksandra Mostovaja, expressed her relief over his release on social media stating, “With Mortaza’s release, light has returned to my world, and our lives can now resume.” (source).
The return of the Taliban to power in 2021 has seen a significant increase in restrictions on press activities in Afghanistan, characterized by a rising trend of arrests and detainments of journalists.