ATLANTA (Pajhwok): Former Rahe Farda radio and television reporter Reza Shahir has been once again arrested by security forces and taken to an unknown location, the Afghan Journalists Center (AFJC) said on Tuesday, citing family sources.
In a statement, AFJC said Shahir was arrested on the Herat-Kabul highway in southern Zabul province while returning from Iran with his family.
The AFJC expressed its concern about Shahir’s situation and demanded that his fate should be made known.
The statement said, Wahab Shahir, the brother of Reza Shahir, wrote on his Facebook that Reza left Herat for Kabul two days ago (Saturday) in a bus and was arrested in Shah Joy district of Zabul province by security personnel of the Islamic Emirate (IE) and was taken to an unknown location.
Another source told AFJC that the former reporter returned to Afghanistan along with his family from Iran to extend his visa which was not possible in Iran.
The authorities of Zabul province said they were unaware about the reporter’s arrest.
AFJC expressed its concern about the unknown fate of Reza Shahir and asked the authorities to release him immediately without any conditions.
Reza Shahir has worked for one decade with the Kabul-based Rahe Farda Radio and Television network. Before leaving for Iran in mid-1401 solar year, he had wrote on his Facebook page that he was arrested for the second time by security forces and released on the condition of giving a promise.
AFJC in its statement said it had registered at least 237 violations of freedom of expression in 1401 while 94 journalists were arrested for some hours, weeks and months.
The AFJC findings show majority of these events, especially the arrests of journalists, were not informed in a timely and transparent manner and their release was also conditional.
However, Islamic Emirate security officials and the Ministry of Information and Culture have not yet said anything about the arrest of Reza Shahir.
aw/ma
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