The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the detentions of Afghan media workers and called them a "crackdown" on media.

The IFJ in a press release called on Afghanistan’s Media Complaints and Rights Violations Commission to investigate these incidents immediately.

“Continuing its crackdown on independent media in 2024, three journalists were detained by the Taliban’s intelligence agency over two days in Kabul. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Afghan Independent Journalists Union (AIJU), condemn the continued summoning and detentions of Afghan media workers and call for all cases to be swiftly investigated,” the press release reads.

However, Ziaulhaq Haqmal, the head of the Ministry of Information and Culture's Publications section, said that media outlets and institutions supporting the media should operate in accordance with national legal laws of the country.

Haqmal added that the Ministry is attempting to address the issues that media workers and organizations that support the nation's media face.

“If those institutions that have permits in Afghanistan and are operating here, have problems, they should come here and we will address their problems,” Ziaulhaq Haqmal added.

Meanwhile, the arrests of media workers concern some journalists in the country.

Journalists said that the media and its workers need more support from media supporting institutions.

“Media activities in Afghanistan definitely need the support of organizations supporting media and journalists. Media and journalists need more support of the institutions supporting media in Afghanistan,” said Mustafa Shahriyar, a journalist.

“We hope that the current government of Afghanistan knows these values and ends the issue of restricting media and arresting journalists,” said Mohammad Raqib Fayaz, another journalist.

This comes as earlier, Mujeeb Khelwatgar, the head of NAI (a group that supports open media in Afghanistan) in a video message announced the temporary suspension of this organization's activities in Afghanistan.

Khelwatgar stressed that no representative will be representing the organization in Afghanistan anymore.