Rafiullah Nikzad 02.08.2026
Mohammad Rahmati, director of the privately owned Tamadon TV, and Mohammad Reza Ehsani, an employee of the broadcaster, have been released from detention after being held by the Taliban since early July. The two journalists were arrested on the orders of Taliban Justice Minister Abdul Hakim Sharaee.
Sources said Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister, instructed the group’s governor in Kabul to secure the release of the two journalists.
Taliban forces raided Tamadon TV’s headquarters in Kabul on 23 June, acting on the justice minister’s orders, and suspended the broadcaster’s operations. During the raid, Mohammad Rahmati and Mohammad Reza Ehsani were arrested.
The two journalists were held at the Kabul provincial detention facility. The Taliban have not publicly disclosed the reasons for their arrest.
According to sources, Rahmati and Ehsani were released on 5 July.
Earlier, informed sources told Afghanistan International that Rahmati suffers from heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and that his health had seriously deteriorated while in Taliban custody. They said he had been denied access to medication and medical care.
In May 2024, the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice announced the suspension of Tamadon TV’s activities, claiming the broadcaster was affiliated with the Islamic Movement Party and operated from state land that had allegedly been “illegally occupied.” The ministry also stated that media outlets affiliated with political parties are not permitted to operate in Afghanistan.
