Date: 28/01/1404 The Committee to Protect Journalists has reported that the Taliban has arrested a journalist in Kabul for the second time.The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization has reported that Taliban intelligence forces have arrested Rashid Kashifi, a journalist with Rasa TV and Kabul Times, for the second time and transferred him to an undisclosed location.In December 2021, Taliban members previously detained and assaulted Kashifi in Kabul while he was reporting in a local area. According to reports, he was arrested during his coverage, subjected to torture, and later released.The organization’s statement emphasizes that the recurrence of such actions by the Taliban not only undermines press freedom but has also brought the safety and professional environment for journalists in Afghanistan to an alarming level.It further stressed that the working space for journalists in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly restricted, and the continuation of free media activity faces serious threats.The organization has called on the Taliban to immediately clarify the whereabouts of Rashid Kashifi and release him unconditionally.It has also urged international institutions and human rights organizations to exert necessary pressure on the Taliban to safeguard media freedom and ensure the safety of journalists in Afghanistan.The statement concludes by asserting that the security and rights of journalists must not be sacrificed to oppressive and destructive policies.

The re-arrest of Rashid Kashifi demonstrates the Taliban’s pattern of targeting journalists through repeated detention, enforced disappearance, and physical abuse. by detaining a journalist previously tortured for reporting, the authorities signal impunity and reinforce fear within the media community. This case highlights the cumulative repression of press freedom through intimidation, arbitrary detention, and the normalization of violence against journalists.