AFGHANISTAN: JOURNALIST SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS FOR ‘PROPAGANDA’  

Dear Mr. Mufti Abdul Matin Qane,

I am concerned about the arbitrary arrest and detention of journalist Hamid Farhadi.

On September 3, 2024, Hamid Farhadi was arbitrarily arrested by members of the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior from his home in Kabul. He was subsequently accused of propaganda against the Taliban de facto authorities. This charge appears to be based on his work as a journalist working with exile-based media company – Etilaatroz – and reporting on the national ban of girl’s education.

I find it alarming to learn that during his interrogation and detention, Hamid Farhadi was subjected to ill treatment including being kept in solitary confinement. Throughout this entire ordeal, Farhadi has been denied a lawyer to represent him, and his family are only allowed to visit him once a month for 30 minutes in the presence of a Taliban soldier.

Hamid Farhadi’s arbitrary detention and lack of legal representation are a clear violation of his rights to freedom of expression and fair trial guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Afghanistan is a state party.

I urge you to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Hamid Farhadi. Pending his release, ensure that he is held in conditions meeting international standards of fairness and that he has regular access to adequate healthcare, legal representation, and family visits. Finally, stop the practices of arbitrary detention and torture and other ill-treatment of people working to defend human rights.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]