Radio Free never accepts money from corporations, governments or billionaires – keeping the focus on supporting independent media for people, not profits. Since 2010, Radio Free has supported the work of thousands of independent journalists, learn more about how your donation helps improve journalism for everyone.

Make a monthly donation of any amount to support independent media.





Taliban forces beat journalist Reza Shahir, charge 3 others over corruption reporting

New York, June 9, 2022 — The Taliban must investigate the beating of journalist Reza Shahir, and immediately drop all charges against journalists Firoz Ghafori, Basira Mosamem, and Olugh Beig Ghafori, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. At about midnight on June 3, Taliban forces stopped Shahir while he was on his way to…

New York, June 9, 2022 — The Taliban must investigate the beating of journalist Reza Shahir, and immediately drop all charges against journalists Firoz Ghafori, Basira Mosamem, and Olugh Beig Ghafori, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday.

At about midnight on June 3, Taliban forces stopped Shahir while he was on his way to his home in Kabul’s District 18, searched him, and then punched him in the head and beat him on the shoulder with an AK-47, knocking him unconscious, according to media reports and the journalist, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview.

The Taliban fighters left him unconscious in the street and took his mobile phone, Shahir told CPJ. Shahir previously worked as a reporter for the local broadcaster Rahe Farda TV, before the Taliban beat and detained him in April; since then, he has worked as a freelancer, he said.

Separately, on May 4, the Taliban prosecutor’s office in Faryab province detained and questioned Firoz Ghafori, Mosamem, and Olugh Beig Ghafori for about three hours, and then released them on bail after charging them with criminal insult, according to media reports and Firoz Ghafori, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview.

The charges stem from the journalists’ 2019 and 2020 reporting on corruption allegations involving a government official who remained in power following the Taliban takeover, Ghafori said.

“Taliban leaders must take action to prevent their members from attacking journalists like Reza Shahir, and must immediately drop the spurious charges against three journalists in Faryab province over an old corruption case,” said Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator. “The detentions, beatings, and harassment of media workers has continued to rise in Afghanistan under the Taliban, which indicates a worrisome trend for press freedom.”

Shahir told CPJ that the Taliban fighters beat him after they searched his mobile phone and found screenshots of media reports about his April detention and beating. He said the men cursed at him and accused him of being a spy and working for foreign governments.

Shahir said he sustained light injuries from the attack and did not need to go to a hospital.

Officers with the Faryab Police Criminal Investigation Directorate first questioned Firoz Ghafori, a representative of the Afghanistan Journalist Safety Committee in Faryab and a production manager with the local broadcaster Tamana Radio; Mosamim, a former journalist who worked on corruption reporting with Firoz Ghafori; and Olugh Beig Ghafori, a freelance journalist; about their reporting on April 28, according to Firoz Ghafori. He said authorities then summoned them again on May 4, when the provincial prosecutor’s office filed the insult charge.

Ghafori told CPJ that he did not know the exact penalty the journalists could face if convicted, but feared they could face prison time. He said that no court date had been set.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid did not respond to CPJ’s request for comment sent via messaging app.


This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by Erik Crouch.


Print Share Comment Cite Upload Translate Updates

Leave a Reply

APA

Erik Crouch | Radio Free (2022-06-09T15:31:03+00:00) Taliban forces beat journalist Reza Shahir, charge 3 others over corruption reporting. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2022/06/09/taliban-forces-beat-journalist-reza-shahir-charge-3-others-over-corruption-reporting/

MLA
" » Taliban forces beat journalist Reza Shahir, charge 3 others over corruption reporting." Erik Crouch | Radio Free - Thursday June 9, 2022, https://www.radiofree.org/2022/06/09/taliban-forces-beat-journalist-reza-shahir-charge-3-others-over-corruption-reporting/
HARVARD
Erik Crouch | Radio Free Thursday June 9, 2022 » Taliban forces beat journalist Reza Shahir, charge 3 others over corruption reporting., viewed ,<https://www.radiofree.org/2022/06/09/taliban-forces-beat-journalist-reza-shahir-charge-3-others-over-corruption-reporting/>
VANCOUVER
Erik Crouch | Radio Free - » Taliban forces beat journalist Reza Shahir, charge 3 others over corruption reporting. [Internet]. [Accessed ]. Available from: https://www.radiofree.org/2022/06/09/taliban-forces-beat-journalist-reza-shahir-charge-3-others-over-corruption-reporting/
CHICAGO
" » Taliban forces beat journalist Reza Shahir, charge 3 others over corruption reporting." Erik Crouch | Radio Free - Accessed . https://www.radiofree.org/2022/06/09/taliban-forces-beat-journalist-reza-shahir-charge-3-others-over-corruption-reporting/
IEEE
" » Taliban forces beat journalist Reza Shahir, charge 3 others over corruption reporting." Erik Crouch | Radio Free [Online]. Available: https://www.radiofree.org/2022/06/09/taliban-forces-beat-journalist-reza-shahir-charge-3-others-over-corruption-reporting/. [Accessed: ]
rf:citation
» Taliban forces beat journalist Reza Shahir, charge 3 others over corruption reporting | Erik Crouch | Radio Free | https://www.radiofree.org/2022/06/09/taliban-forces-beat-journalist-reza-shahir-charge-3-others-over-corruption-reporting/ |

Please log in to upload a file.




There are no updates yet.
Click the Upload button above to add an update.

You must be logged in to translate posts. Please log in or register.