Franco-Afghan journalist Mortaza Behboudi, who had been detained since January 7 in Afghanistan, was released on Wednesday October 18 after being acquitted by the Afghan courts, announced the NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
“The decision has just come after two hundred and eighty-four days of imprisonment,” RSF rejoiced in a press release: “During a hearing at the Kabul criminal court today, the judges pronounced his acquittal of all offenses, including espionage, “illegal support for foreigners” and assistance in crossing borders abroad,” added the press defense NGO, which had mobilized for this release . According to RSF, the journalist was immediately released from Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul.
Christophe Deloire, the secretary general of RSF, specified that he had to return to France by the end of the week. “With the release of Mortaza, the light has returned to my world and life can now start again,” said his wife, Aleksandra Mostovaja, quoted in the press release.
Strong mobilization
Originally from Afghanistan but a refugee in France, Mortaza Behboudi, 29, went to his native country on January 5 for a report and was arrested on the 7th, while preparing to collect his press accreditation.
His arrest, made public by RSF a month later, provoked a strong mobilization of the French media in favor of his release. The journalist has worked with many of them, including France Télévisions, TV5 Monde, Arte, Radio France, Mediapart, Libération and La Croix.
“He was (…) arrested, not as a journalist (…), but because he has direct relations with opponents of our regime,” declared Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban, in power in Afghanistan, in a France Télévisions report at the beginning of July.
Born in Afghanistan, Mortaza Behboudi lived in Iran, where his parents were refugees, before returning to his native country and starting his career as a photojournalist. Refugee in France from 2015, he created the information site Guiti News with exiled colleagues.
He is co-author of the series of reports “Across Afghanistan, under the Taliban”, published on Mediapart, rewarded last year with the Bayeux prize for war correspondents and the Varenne prize, from the French daily press.
