A group of employees from 15 companies where Mortaza Behboudi, a French-Afghan journalist, had worked, have called for his release from the Taliban’s prison during a gathering held in Paris.
According to a statement from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the organization and the support committee for Mortaza Behboudi, which was established ten days prior, initiated a protest on Saturday.
RSF est avec le comité de soutien #FreeMortaza et la femme du journaliste franco-afghan Mortaza Behboudi au #Trocadero à #Paris sur le Parvis des Droits de l’Homme. Ne lâchons rien jusqu’à sa libération par les Talibans. pic.twitter.com/dmvA4ozugg
— RSF (@RSF_inter) February 18, 2023
Based on the statement, RSF, along with 15 production companies where Mortaza Behboudi worked, and his wife, collaborated to sign a joint petition urging the Taliban to release the journalist from prison at the earliest time.
RSF reported that after 19 days of Mortaza Behboudi’s arrest, the Taliban permitted him to have a one-minute phone conversation with his wife, which was monitored by prison guards.
Until now, the Taliban have not acknowledged the requests for the release of Behboudi.
It is important to note that Mortaza Behboudi, who is of Afghan descent but holds French citizenship and works as a journalist, was detained by the Taliban for alleged espionage just two days after arriving in Afghanistan on January 7th.
