human rights defender
Mahdi Ansari
Actions and Campaigns
Mahdi Ansari
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER
Urgent support needed
Legal assistance for fair trial
Financial assistance for his family
Medical and psychosocial support to address the effects of ill-treatment
HRD's year of birth
1996
HRD's Gender
Man
Type of HRD
- Journalist/Blogger
HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
- Economic, social and cultural rights
- Minorities’ rights
- Women's rights
HRD's geographical origin
Rural
Current Status
Released
HRD's bio and work
Mahdi Ansari, is a journalist who worked with the Afghan News Agency.
On 5 October 2024, he was arrested by members of the Taliban’s General Directorate 40th of Intelligence near his office in Kabul.
On 1 January 2025, following a trial held in the absence of his family and legal representation, he was sentenced to one and a half year in prison for allegedly spreading propaganda against the Taliban through his news reports and social media posts.
During his detention, Mahdi has faced ill-treatment, including solitary confinement, and his mental health has deteriorated. He has been denied regular family visits, with only one brief visit allowed a month after his arrest.
He is currently held in Pul-e-Charkhi prison.
Detained since
Oct 5, 2024
Date of release
Mar 20, 2026
Charge(s)
- Anti-government propaganda
- Spreading fake news
Sentence
He was sentenced to 18 months in prison by a Kabul court on January 1, 2025, for "anti-regime propaganda", following his arrest on October 5, 2024.
Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
He has faced ill-treatment in detention, including solitary confinement where his mental health has deteriorated.
He has been denied regular family visits. His family was able to meet him for the first time one month after his arrest and for five minutes only. Currently, visits are allowed once a week for five to six minutes via a glass window.
Latitude: 34.51988221044194
Longitude: 69.34802560944671
Geolocation of detention
Country or area of detention
Region of detention
- Asia: Southern Asia
Location of detention - City/Town
Kabul
Location of detention - Facility
Pol e Charkhi prison
Recent case update / evolution
His family, only permitted to visit him after one month of his detention, are now allowed to visit him only
Any other relevant documents
https://www.ifj.org/es/sala-de-prensa/noticias/detalle/category/comunicados-de-prensa/article/afghanistan-journalist-sentenced-on-anti-regime-charges
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa11/8988/2025/en/
https://kabulnow.com/2025/02/rights-group-calls-for-immediate-release-of-journalist-mahdi-ansari-from-taliban-custody/
https://www.afintl.com/en/202501083090
https://amu.tv/155690/
Attachments
Documented by
- Country(ies) of nationality
- HRD's year of birth
- 1996
- HRD's Gender
- Man
- Type of HRD
- Journalist/Blogger
- HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
- Economic, social and cultural rights
- Minorities’ rights
- Women's rights
- HRD's Picture
- HRD's bio and work
Mahdi Ansari, is a journalist who worked with the Afghan News Agency.
On 5 October 2024, he was arrested by members of the Taliban’s General Directorate 40th of Intelligence near his office in Kabul.
On 1 January 2025, following a trial held in the absence of his family and legal representation, he was sentenced to one and a half year in prison for allegedly spreading propaganda against the Taliban through his news reports and social media posts.
During his detention, Mahdi has faced ill-treatment, including solitary confinement, and his mental health has deteriorated. He has been denied regular family visits, with only one brief visit allowed a month after his arrest.
He is currently held in Pul-e-Charkhi prison.
- HRD's geographical origin
- Rural
- Country or area of detention
- Region of detention
- Asia: Southern Asia
- Location of detention - City/Town
- Kabul
- Location of detention - Facility
- Pol e Charkhi prison
- Geolocation of detention
Latitude: 34.51988221044194
Longitude: 69.34802560944671
- Geolocation of detention
- Detained since
- Oct 5, 2024
- Current Status
- Released
- Date of release
- Mar 20, 2026
- Charge(s)
- Anti-government propaganda
- Spreading fake news
- Sentence
He was sentenced to 18 months in prison by a Kabul court on January 1, 2025, for "anti-regime propaganda", following his arrest on October 5, 2024.
- Recent case update / evolution
His family, only permitted to visit him after one month of his detention, are now allowed to visit him only
- Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
He has faced ill-treatment in detention, including solitary confinement where his mental health has deteriorated.
He has been denied regular family visits. His family was able to meet him for the first time one month after his arrest and for five minutes only. Currently, visits are allowed once a week for five to six minutes via a glass window.
- Protection actions and campaigns
- Urgent support needed
Legal assistance for fair trial
Financial assistance for his family
Medical and psychosocial support to address the effects of ill-treatment
- Any other relevant documents
https://www.ifj.org/es/sala-de-prensa/noticias/detalle/category/comunicados-de-prensa/article/afghanistan-journalist-sentenced-on-anti-regime-charges
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa11/8988/2025/en/
https://kabulnow.com/2025/02/rights-group-calls-for-immediate-release-of-journalist-mahdi-ansari-from-taliban-custody/
https://www.afintl.com/en/202501083090
https://amu.tv/155690/
- Documented by
- Consent status
- Consent to register, store and publish the information
sorted by
Date added
4 relationships, 3 entities