Taliban Expand Civil Society Crackdown

By Human Rights Watch

Click to expand Image Mortaza Behboudi. © Private Mortaza Behboudi arrived in Kabul, Afghanistan on January 5, intending to do what journalists do – cover the story. Instead, the French-Afghan dual national ended up in prison, arrested by the Taliban two days later when he applied for accreditation. “I am very worried, I haven’t talked to Mortaza for nearly three months now,” Behboudi's wife, Aleksandra, told me. “He’s a photographer, journalist, and free speech defender. He doesn’t belong in prison.” Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, did not confirm the arrest until February 26,…

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