Taliban arrests five journalists working with Kabul daily day after appointing hardliners in new Afghan govt

Kabul: A day after forming the new caretaker government, the Taliban on Wednesday arrested five journalists of Etilaatroz, a daily newspaper, in Kabul. The information of the arrest was shared by the Editor-in-Chief of the Etilaatroz, Zaki Daryabi. “Five journalists from Etilaatroz, a daily newspaper in Kabul, have been arrested by Taliban, Zaki Daryabi, the editor in chief of the newspaper, said today,” tweeted Tolo News.

Five journalists from Etilaatroz, a daily newspaper in Kabul, have been arrested by Taliban, Zaki Daryabi, the editor in chief of the newspaper, said today.#TOLOnews pic.twitter.com/TdyxCPyWhO

— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) September 8, 2021

Earlier, the Taliban had promised international organisations that it will respect the rights of journalists and freedom of expression. A group of UN human rights experts had called on all countries to provide urgent protection to Afghan journalists and media workers who fear for their lives and face persecution in the war-torn country. “Journalists and media workers, in particular women, are facing heightened risks since the Taliban’s political takeover of Afghanistan,” United Nations Human Rights Special Procedures quoted UN experts as saying. Meanwhile, the Taliban appointed several hardliners in its new government who oversaw the 20-year fight against the US-led military coalition. The list announced by chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid was dominated by members of the group’s old guard. Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund has been appointed prime minister with two deputies Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Molavi Abdul Salam Hanafi.