Journalist Detained in Ghazni Province, Concerns MountIn a concerning development journalist Habib-ur-Rahman Taseer affiliated with Radio Azadi in southeastern Ghazni, has been held in Taliban custody for the past 12 days before being transferred to the province’s prison. The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) has expressed grave apprehension over Taseer’s prolonged detention, urging for his immediate and unconditional release. According to a source within Ghazni province, speaking anonymously to AFJC due to fear of reprisal from local Taliban authorities, Taseer was apprehended on April 6 by the provincial intelligence department. Taseer’s alleged offense was the compilation of local reports for Radio Azadi, during which his smartphone was confiscated and its contents scrutinized without his consent. While Radio Azadi has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, additional sources within Ghazni province have disclosed to AFJC that Taseer had encountered pressure prior to his arrest, including expulsion from a joint WhatsApp group comprised of journalists and local officials. Despite efforts to secure his release proving futile, Taseer has been transferred from the intelligence detention center to the provincial prison, with his case anticipated to be referred to court. Radio Azadi, headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, produces and broadcasts programs tailored for Afghanistan. In December 2022, both Radio Azadi and Voice of America, both supported by the US government, had their FM frequencies severed by Taliban decree. Two months later, the websites of these outlets were shuttered in Afghanistan, with the Taliban levying accusations of propagandizing against the group. AFJC has issued a fervent appeal to local Taliban officials in Ghazni province, urging the prompt and unconditional release of Habib-ur-Rahman Taseer. The organization stresses the imperative of journalists being able to discharge their duties without impediment or intimidation and emphasizes the need for their safeguarding.Currently, three journalists remain in custody across the country, with AFJC data indicating that at least 59 journalists and media personnel were detained in the previous solar year alone. The majority of these cases involved breaches of Taliban media directives, which run counter to the nation’s media laws, rendering non-compliance a criminal offense.