LONDON: The Taliban released journalist Hamid Farhadi after he completed a two-year prison sentence on charges of propaganda against the group and cooperation with the exiled Etilaatroz newspaper.
Farhadi’s family confirmed his release on Thursday from Bagram prison.
He was detained by Taliban Interior Ministry forces in Kabul in September 2024.
A Taliban court later sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment on charges of “propaganda” against the Taliban and cooperation with Etilaatroz, which now operates from exile.
The journalist was initially held at Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul. In March 2025, the Taliban transferred him to Bagram prison, where he remained until his release.
During the detention, Farhadi’s family members were permitted to visit him only once a month for 30 minutes, they said.
His imprisonment drew concern from international rights organizations, UN experts and media watchdogs, who repeatedly called for his release.
Farhadi was sentenced on charges of propaganda against the Taliban and cooperation with the exiled Etilaatroz newspaper. (X/File)
Amnesty International last year wrote to the Taliban Interior Ministry expressing concern about Farhadi’s health and alleged that he had been subjected to mistreatment, including solitary confinement, which it said had significantly affected his mental health.
The International Federation of Journalists welcomed Farhadi’s release as “good news.”
The organization wrote in a post on X on Friday: “He should never have been arrested in the first place. All detained journalists in Afghanistan must be released now.”
Farhadi’s release comes a few days before the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
Media rights organizations said his case is part of a broader crackdown on journalists and independent media since the group seized control.
The authorities have introduced restrictions on media operations, detained journalists and imposed measures that rights groups say have limited independent reporting.
Journalists and media workers have been arrested on charges including “propaganda” and cooperation with Afghan media outlets operating from abroad.
Media organizations have also faced restrictions on their reporting, while hundreds of outlets have closed amid pressure and financial difficulties.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center said in its latest annual report that it documented 207 cases of media rights violations during the previous year, including two journalist killings, one injury, 183 threats and 21 arrests. The group said violations increased by 20 percent compared with the previous year.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most difficult environments for journalists. Reporters Without Borders ranked the country 175th out of 180 countries in its 2026 World Press Freedom Index.
