NILI: Local sources in Daikundi have confirmed that Taliban intelligence forces re-arrested three journalists from Radio Nasim on Wednesday evening. The detained individuals include Sultan Ali Jawadi, the editor-in-chief, and two other journalists, Saifullah Rezaee and Mujtaba Qasemi. Reports indicate that the Taliban arrested these journalists without official explanation and confiscated broadcasting equipment, including the station’s main computer. Jawadi, Razai, and Qasemi had previously been arrested in 1402 (2023); Jawadi was sentenced to one year in prison for “promoting against the regime” but was released after six months in Hamal 1403 (2024). Radio Nasim, one of the few independent local media outlets in Daikundi, was shut down in 1402 and, after five months, was allowed to operate under restrictions. The increasing pressure on media, journalist arrests, and widespread censorship are part of the ongoing crisis of freedom of expression in Afghanistan. Many private media outlets have been shut down, and independent journalists face threats of arrest and torture. The re-arrest of Radio Nasim’s staff is a clear violation of media freedom and poses a serious warning for the remaining journalists. Reza Wahidi, the owner of Radio Nasim, stated that media broadcasts in Daikundi and Bamyan have ceased following these arrests.
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