Rahim Saeedi released after 11 months in prison; Amnesty International says he was imprisoned solely for free expression
Following international pressure and public support campaigns, Sayed Rahim Saeedi, a filmmaker and YouTube producer, has been released after spending 11 months in a Taliban prison.
Amnesty International issued a statement saying Saeedi’s arrest was a clear violation of freedom of expression and that he should never have been imprisoned for his views and media works.
Saeedi, 57, and CEO of the film company “Anar Media,” is known for making documentaries critical of the political and social situation in Afghanistan.
He was arrested by Taliban intelligence in Kabul on July 14, 2024, and sentenced to three years in prison by a Taliban court on December 18 of the same year on charges of “propaganda against the authorities of the Islamic Emirate.”
In its statement, Amnesty International, while appreciating all the institutions and individuals who have worked within the framework of the Urgent Action Campaign for the filmmaker’s release, called the role of public opinion important in accelerating his release.
The Taliban has not yet taken any official position on Saeedi’s release
