Local Reporter of Kyodo News Held in Afghanistan

Jiji Press

10:43 JST, January 22, 2024

NEW DELHI (Jiji Press) — A local reporter of Japan’s Kyodo News was detained by Afghanistan’s Taliban interim administration in the Afghan capital of Kabul, the Afghanistan Journalists Center, or AFJC, said Sunday.

According to Kyodo News, the person is an Afghan man working as an assistant at the Kabul bureau of the news agency.

The reporter was summoned to the media and information division of the interim government and arrested Wednesday, said AFJC, an Afghan nongovernmental organization, and Kyodo News.

On the next day, he was taken to Kyodo News’ Kabul bureau, and his personal computer and camera were seized. His smartphone was also confiscated.

AFJC said that it “strongly condemns the arrest of this journalist and demands his immediate and unconditional release.” It also called on the interim government to stop the suppression of journalists and free media.

Kyodo News said it is trying to confirm the situation.