Sayed Rahim Saidi, a 57-year-old filmmaker, managing director, and producer of Anar Media, a YouTube based broadcaster, was arrested by members of the Taliban General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) District 40 on July 14, 2024 near his office. He has been sentenced to three years in prison and is currently serving his sentence in Pol-e-Charkhi prison. During his initial trial, on December 18, 2024, the court accused him of spreading propaganda against the Taliban de facto authorities. Saidi is severely ill, suffering from lumbar disc herniation and prostate issues, yet he does not have access to adequate healthcare, including required medication, and is kept in a cold prison cell. Between July and December, while he was held in GDI District 40, he was allegedly subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, including solitary confinement, and was denied access to the medicine sent by his family. Saidi must be immediately and unconditionally released.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: April 24, 2025
Dear Mr. Abdul Haq Wasiq,
I am concerned about the arbitrary arrest and detention of filmmaker, Sayed Rahim Saidi.
On July 14, 2024, Sayed Rahim Saidi and his son were arbitrarily arrested by members of the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI). His son was released after interrogation; however, Saidi was kept in GDI for further interrogation. He was then accused of spreading propaganda against the Taliban de facto authorities, a charge based on his past films as well as a new film he was planning to work on addressing the ban on girls’ education by the Taliban. On December 19, 2024, the filmmaker was unfairly tried at the Taliban court in Kabul, without access to a defense lawyer. Deprived of a fair trial, in absence of defense lawyer and fear of extended imprisonment period, Saidi accepted the verdict. Since his arrest, Saidi has been seriously ill with lumbar disc herniation and prostate issues, without access to adequate healthcare or the medicine he needs.
I urge you to immediately and unconditionally release Sayed Rahim Saidi. Pending his release, he must be granted immediate access to lawyers and adequate healthcare, and he must be held in conditions that meet international standards for the treatment of prisoners and protected from torture and other ill-treatment.
Yours sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
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