Journalists covering protest say they were arrested, beaten by Taliban

Several Afghan journalists who covered protests in Afghanistan said they were arrested and beaten by the Taliban.

Nemat, a videographer for local newspaper Etilaat-e Roz, told The New York Times that he and his colleagues were on a street where dozens of women were protesting when Taliban militants from the police station took his camera and arrested him.

Nemat said he showed the militants his identification card but they still accused him of organizing the protests. The Taliban reportedly took him to a room, tied his hands with a scarf and started beating him with a cable.

Three of Nemat’s colleagues were also reportedly arrested when they arrived at the police station to request his release.

The journalists were released hours later by a Taliban official, according to the Times, who told them not to cover “illegal protests” going forward.

A Times journalist who interviewed them said they had extensive patterns of bruising on their bodies, which looked like strikes from a cable or different blunt object.

Zaki Daryabi, the publisher of Etilaat-e Roz, said the situation was “the first very serious incident involving journalists in Kabul, and if we don’t stand together, much worse things may happen.”

“We haven’t gotten any response from Taliban officials, but would like to know how we can lodge a complaint,” he added.

The reports of journalists being detained and beaten in Afghanistan comes after the Taliban seized power in the country, which was solidified after the U.S. completed its troop withdrawal. The insurgent group this month introduced its interim Afghan government, which is made up of all men.

Protests have since taken place in the country, which the insurgent group has responded to. On Tuesday, Zabihullah Mujahid, the acting deputy information and culture minister, said all demonstrations had to be approved by the Ministry of Justice in advance, according to The New York Times.

He said the current protests taking place are “spontaneous, and some people are creating a riot.” He told reporters they should not cover the demonstrations, contending that they are “illegal.”

Aber, one of the reporters who was arrested with Nemat, told the Times that the barracks in the police station “were full of prisoners.”

He recalled seeing one demonstrator covered in blood from being severely beaten. He also said he saw Taliban fighters abusing prisoners and mocking the inmates, saying “You want freedom? What freedom?”