Afghanistan: “For ten months, I did not see the sky,” says journalist Mortaza Behboudi, former hostage of the Taliban

After nine months of ordeal in a jail AfghanMortaza Behboudi now walks as a free man. The Franco-Afghan journalist who continues to report “nightmares” noted : “I am very happy to be reunited with my wife Alexandra and to see my friends again.” He comes back to the facts: “A Taliban called me. (…) He took me to the police station, information from the 3rd district of Kabul. At night, I was interrogated. He starts to whip me without asking me who I am. They told me : ‘Say that you are a spy for the French services.‘”

An acquittal

Mortaza Behboudi is then transferred to the central prison of the Afghan secret services, in the center of Kabul. Asked about his incarceration, he recounts: “For ten months, I didn’t see the sky. I lost [la notion] day and night. (…) We were forced to pray. We were forced to do everything. We were being watched 24 hours a day.” After nine months of detention and four hearings before the Taliban justice system, Mortaza Behboudi was acquitted of all charges against him. “I have a feeling of being reborn”concludes the journalist.