Mortaza Behboudi was arrested when he arrived in Kabul for a report in January. His name would appear on a “blacklist” of people deemed undesirable, including journalists, established by the Taliban authorities.
by Jacques Folloru
At first, the French authorities believed that the release of the Franco-Afghan Mortaza Behbudi journalist, arrested in Kabul on January 7, was a question of weeks. Almost two months later, the concern is starting to appear. You could, in fact, believe that the Taliban regime intended to send a message to Afghan and foreign journalists on its desire to prohibit any form of protest, criticism or even information deemed negative. Another fear has now emerged: that managers want to keep it as a currency to loosen the international vice that isolates the country today.
Afghan of origin and refugee in France since 2015, Mortaza Behboudi, 28, had decided to return to Afghanistan for a report, believing, no doubt, that his French passport would protect him. He landed on Thursday, January 5. On Friday being a day long, he waited on Saturday January 7 to request his accreditation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a compulsory work permit, valid for the length of stay in the country. Without this sesame, it is forbidden to exercise your profession as a journalist. “Any offense in the matter is an offense,” said the world of the Afghan Foreign Ministry of Foreign Ministry, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, in early February. H2>
It was by heading to the offices of this ministry that Mortaza Behbudi was checked at one of the many dams now installed in the capital by the Taliban. After verifying his identity, the police extracted him from his vehicle. It would be, today, in the hands of the Taliban intelligence services in one of their detention centers in Kabul. The presentation of his French passport did nothing. According to our information, his arrival would have been reported as soon as he passed the border, his name appearing on a “blacklist” of people deemed undesirable in Afghanistan, established by the Taliban authorities.
This list, of which Mo12345lemonde was able to have confirmation on site, includes names of media, journalists and individuals who can have press cards but considered as political activists, a category in which seems to have been classified Mortaza Behbudi. After having lived in Iran, where his parents had taken refuge and where he had started a career as a photoreporter, he had then won France. He has collaborated, since, with many media, including France Télévisions, TV5 Monde, Arte and Radio France, and created, with exiled colleagues, an information site, Guiti News , whose editorial line is openly very critical against Afghan Taliban.
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