Afghanistan – Release of our compatriot Mortaza Behboudi (20 October 2023)

France welcomes the release of our compatriot Mortaza Behboudi, who had been detained in Afghanistan since January 7. The Taliban held him in custody for 284 days because he works as a reporter.

From day one of his imprisonment, France monitored Mortaza Behboudi’s situation very closely. Through our delegation in Doha, the French authorities continuously lobbied the Taliban to release him. Working with our partners in Kabul, including the EU and the UN, which have delegations in Afghanistan, France made repeated efforts to gain the release of our fellow citizen.

Our compatriot’s release is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to press freedom and unhampered reporting worldwide.