Kabul
Afghanistan’ s spy agency has arrested four journalists for visiting a Taliban-held border town and accused them of spreading enemy “propaganda”, officials said Tuesday.
The four Afghans were detained in Kandahar after returning Monday from Spin Boldak, the border crossing with Pakistan seized by the Taliban earlier this month.
Local media said the journalists were investigating government reports that the Taliban had massacred civilians in the town — charges the insurgents deny.
“Any kind of propaganda in favour of the terrorists and against Afghanistan s national interest is a crime,” Interior Ministry spokesman Mirwais Stanikzai said in a statement. “The security forces are investigating the case.”
Afghan media watchdog Nai said the journalists were arrested on the orders of the National Directorate of Security, the country s spy agency.
“It is still unclear what has happened,” Nai said, adding three of them worked for the local Mellat Zhagh radio network. “It is now more than 24 hours since their detention… their families are deeply concerned.”
The Afghanistan Journalists Safety Committee called on the government to free them immediately. “No extra-judiciary detention is acceptable,” it said. AFP
