Date: 18/12/2024

Amnesty International: Taliban Sentenced Rahim Saeedi to Three Years in Prison : Rahim Saeedi, a 57-year-old filmmaker and CEO of Anar Media, known for producing critical documentaries about the situation in Afghanistan, has been sentenced by a Taliban court to three years in prison on charges of "propaganda against Taliban officials," Amnesty International has announced. According to Amnesty International, Rahim Saeedi was arrested by Taliban intelligence forces in Kabul on July 14, 2024. On December 18, 2024, a Taliban court sentenced him to three years in prison. In a statement, Amnesty International said that Mr. Saeedi is currently serving his sentence in Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul, but is suffering from serious health problems. According to the organization, he suffers from diseases such as lumbar discs and prostate problems, and despite his serious condition, he does not have access to adequate health care and needed medications. Amnesty International said he was being held in a cold cell and denied access to medicines sent by his family. The statement also referred to reports of torture and ill-treatment during Mr. Saeedi's detention in the Taliban's 40 intelligence prison: Human rights organizations have called for the immediate and unconditional release of Sayed Rahim Saeedi and called on the Taliban to respect human rights and international standards. The conviction and detention of Sayed Rahim Saeedi are part of the Taliban's broader crackdown on freedom of expression and media activists in Afghanistan. These actions have been met with widespread domestic and international reactions. Amnesty International has called on the international community to put more pressure on the Taliban and support the release of imprisoned activists and journalists.

This case documents the criminalization of media and cultural expression through Taliban judicial proceedings, resulting in a multi-year prison sentence for alleged “propaganda” against authorities. The arrest by intelligence forces, subsequent conviction by a Taliban court, and reports of torture and denial of medical care indicate a continuum of repression spanning arrest, trial, and detention. The case illustrates how expression-related charges are enforced through judicial and security institutions, with detention conditions exacerbating harm and undermining basic safeguards.