A family member of Radio Safa reporter Irfanullah Bidar confirmed that the journalist was abducted on July 12, with unknown persons placing a bag over his head and forcing Bidar into a vehicle outside a mosque in Jalalabad. Bidar was released on July 24 following nearly 13 days in detention, with his captors believed to be members of the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), the Taliban’s national intelligence agency.
The journalist’s family was not able to locate him during his disappearance, with Taliban representatives failing to provide any information on Bidar’s disappearance or the reason behind his arrest. Neither the journalist’s family nor the Taliban have issued any public statements concerning his detention and release.
The disappearance of Bidar has been criticised by press freedom groups and Afghan journalist organisations. The AFJC expressed their concern over the journalist's arrest and called on the Taliban to ensure his immediate release and to ensure a safe working environment for media in Afghanistan. The Federation of Afghan Journalists in Exile, formerly known as the Pak-Afghan International Forum of Journalists, expressed concern over the arbitrary detention of journalists in Afghanistan and called on the international media community to assist in ensuring his release.
In the two years since the Taliban’s ascension to power in August 2021, journalists have faced a dramatic increase in arrests, harassment and intimidation, largely stemming directly from Taliban forces or the GDI. The insecurity and safety concerns that have defined the Taliban’s control over Afghanistan have resulted in a growing Afghan journalist diaspora, with hundreds escaping to neighbouring Iran, Pakistan or beyond.
The IFJ said:“The all too common disappearances, arrests, and attacks suffered by media workers under Taliban rule continue to quash press freedom and create a highly dangerous environment for journalists doing their jobs. The IFJ condemns Irfanullah Bidar’s detention and urges the Taliban to release all jailed journalists and cease its intimidation of Afghanistan's media.”