KABUL (SW) – Following the news of Mohammad Ebrahim Mohtaj’s arrest, a journalist for the local radio station “Melat Ghag” (Voice of the people) in Kandahar province, officials from the Ministry of Information and Culture have stated that the arrest is not related to his journalistic work.
Khubaib Ghofran, the ministry’s spokesperson, said efforts are ongoing to resolve Mohtaj’s case and secure his release. He added, “The recently arrested journalist in Kandahar is involved in an ethical issue that is under investigation. We are coordinating with relevant institutions to resolve this matter as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, the Afghan Journalists Union is calling on security agencies to share cases of journalists’ arrests with the Ministry of Information and Culture and the Media Violations Commission.
Hafizullah Barekzai, the head of the Afghan Journalists Union, said, “When journalists are arrested by security agencies, protocol dictates that the matter should be shared with the Ministry of Information and Culture and the Media Violations Commission to determine whether the issue is personal, political, or related to their journalism work.”
Mohammad Ebrahim Mohtaj was arrested last week by the forces of the Directorate for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (DoPVPV) in Kandahar.
