The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) says that Sulaiman Rahel, the director of Khoshhal Radio in Ghazni province, has been sentenced to three months in prison by the primary court of the province on charges of “propaganda against the Taliban.”
In a statement released today (Wednesday, May 28), AFJC described the ruling as “unjust, non-transparent, and influenced by intelligence interference,” and warned about the intensifying suppression of freedom of expression.
According to the statement, the sentence was issued in a closed session on the 22May, and includes the time Rahel had already spent in detention.
Local sources told AFJC that the complaint against Rahel was filed by the Ghazni Intelligence Directorate, and the reason for his arrest was the publication of Facebook posts discussing poverty, social issues, and the living conditions of the people.
According to these sources, the Taliban’s intelligence agency considered Rahel’s Facebook posts about poverty and people’s hardships as incitement of public sentiment and propaganda against the government, and sought his prosecution.
The statement notes that Rahel was arrested on the May 4, and under the court’s ruling, must now serve three months in prison. So far, local authorities—particularly the intelligence agency—have not made any public statements regarding the case.
AFJC condemned the sentence, calling it an example of journalist repression, and stated: “Such rulings send a clear message from the ruling administration regarding the tightening of restrictions on the media and journalists. Local journalists have been facing threats, censorship, and arbitrary arrests for over three years.”
The organization called on the Taliban to respect the principles of freedom of expression and independent journalism, release Sulaiman Rahel and other detained journalists, and lift the restrictions imposed on the media.
According to the data recorded in the Media Freedom Tracker of AFJC, at least 13 other journalists and media workers are currently detained or serving prison sentences.
This is not the first time that the director of Khoshhal Radio has been subjected to legal action. In September 2024, Hikmat Arian, the station’s former director, was also sentenced by the Ghazni primary court to one month in prison for publishing a report about Taliban military operations prior to their return to power.
