A Taliban court has sentenced Solaiman Rahel, the editor-in-chief of Radio Khoshhal in Ghazni province, to three months in prison, according to the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC).

The court’s ruling reportedly stems from a complaint filed by the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), accusing Rahel of “propaganda against the Emirate [Taliban government].”

According to local sources, Rahel was detained by members of the GDI on May 5, in connection with his social media posts discussing social issues and economic hardships faced by the local population.

In September 2024, Hekmat Aryan, former director of Khoshhal Radio, was detained and sentenced to one month in prison on similar charges, before being released after serving his sentence.

AFJC emphasized that Rahel’s arrest and sentencing are indicative of a broader crackdown on press freedom and expression. AFJC considers the verdict as a clear violation of journalists’ rights and a sign of increased suppression policies by the de facto authorities, particularly the intelligence agencies’ interference in media work.

AFJC calls on the de facto authorities to immediately respect and uphold the fundamental right to freedom of expression and to release all journalists unjustly detained.

According to data from AFJC’s Press Freedom Tracker, at least 14 journalists or media workers are currently detained or serving prison sentences across Afghanistan.