Rahil was sentenced on May 22 by the Ghazni primary court, following his arrest by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) on May 5. The ruling followed a complaint from the GDI accusing Rahil of “propaganda against the Emirate,” reportedly prompted by the journalist’s recent social media posts addressing social issues and the worsening economic conditions facing local communities. His whereabouts and condition remain unknown.

Prior to his arrest, Rahil published a video on Facebook highlighting the plight of two impoverished women in Ghazni province, which drew widespread attentionand condemnation from local Taliban officials. Other sources suggest the charges may have been linked to a post made two days before Rahil’s arrest, criticising a senior Taliban media official.

Rahil’s detention adds to the growing list of media professionals targeted by the Taliban’s intelligence wing. In September 2024, Hekmat Aryan, former director of Radio Khoshhal, was detained and sentenced to one month in prison on comparable charges. Independent journalist Sayed Rashed Kashefi was also arrested by the Taliban in Kabul on April 16, 2025, due to his alleged work with exiled Afghan media outlets.

IFJ has also monitored an increase in the arbitrary detention of Afghan journalists in Pakistan amid Islamabad’s ongoing crackdown on Afghan refugees.On June 5, Afghan journalist Naseer Behroz was detained by Pakistani police in Islamabad. Authorities have not provided a reason for the arrest, and Behroz remains in custody at Haji Camp, a facility used to detain migrants before deportation. His detention follows the arrest of female Afghan journalist Freshta Sadaat on April 14 and veteran Afghan journalist Zahir Bahanad on April 20, with all three now facing imminent deportation.

According to the IFJ’s South Asia Press Freedom Report 2024–25, at least 30 journalists were detained in Afghanistan between May 2024 and April 2025, with ten still incarcerated in May 2025. Afghanistan accounted for the highest number of detentions in South Asia, as Taliban authorities continue using charges of ‘anti-Emirate propaganda’ or ‘blasphemy’ to target critical voices.

The AIJU said: “Any action, including referring a case to the court, taken against the media and journalists is not justifiable unless it is carried out through legal channels, particularly through the Media Violations Commission. We strongly hope that all related matters and procedures will be handled exclusively through this commission.”

The IFJ said: “The sentencing of Sulaiman Rahil is yet another blatant attempt by the Taliban to silence dissent and stifle critical voices, reporting amid unprecedented censorship.The IFJ condemns the unlawful detention of all Afghan media workers currently imprisoned and calls for Rahil’s immediate release. The Taliban must ensure media professionals are able to conduct their duties without fear of harassment and reprisal.”