Authorities arrest two TV presenters in Kabul

Reporters Without Borders is disturbed by yesterday's arrests in Kabul of two commercial TV presenters, Fahim Kohdamani of Emroz and Ajmal Alamzai of Ariana TV. Alamzai was released late last night but Kohdamani is still being held. “We call for Kohdamani's immediate and unconditional release,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The Afghan government has again failed to respect press freedom, arbitrarily arresting journalists who have done nothing wrong.” Kohdamani was arrested at the behest of the Kabul prosecutor for broadcasting music and hosting the programme called “Biya wa Bibin” (Come and See). The prosecutor has accused him of broadcasting “anti-Islamic” and “vulgar” programmes. His arrest appears to be linked to letters which clerics sent to President Hamid Karzai accusing Emroz of failing to respect “religious values” for broadcasting music on 7 January, the day of the commemoration of the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, regarded by Shiites as the Third Imam. The head of Emroz, Najeebullah Kabuli, told Reporters Without Borders he thought the arrest was a reflection of political interests including the involvement of neighbouring countries. Other TV stations have broadcast Indian music and TV series without encountering such problems. The host of Ariana TV's programme Didadgah, Alamzai was arrested by the National Directorate of Security in connection with a report consisting primarily of interviews with former Taliban representatives in Kabul in which he made a direct call to a Taliban spokesman to ask for his reaction. He was freed at around midnight last night. The head of Ariana TV, Ehsanollah Aryanzai, told Reporters Without Borders: “The programme dealt with Barak Obama's comment about ‘dialogue with the moderate Taliban' and did not endanger Afghanistan's security. The arrest was illegal because the journalist was virtually kidnapped on the street and no one was told. Furthermore, the opinion of the Commission for Verifying Media Misconduct is necessary before arresting any journalist.” For more information about press freedom in Afghanistan, see the recent Reporters Without Borders report entitled “What gains for press freedom from Hamid Karzai's seven years as president?”