Afghan Reporter Freed After Criticising Government

Fayaz was released yesterday afternoon after being detained for two days at the intelligence service`s detention facility.

Afghanistan's intelligence agency released an Afghan television journalist two days after he was detained for criticising the government on his programme, a spokesman for his channel said on Thursday.

The political discussion programme, called "The Truth", was pulled off air half-way through on Sunday after private Ariana TV received a call from the National Directorate of Security (NDS). NDS agents then arrested the programme's presenter, Nasir Fayaz on Monday.

"He (Fayaz) was released yesterday afternoon after being detained for two days at the intelligence service's detention facility," said Abdul Qadir Mirzai, spokesman for Ariana TV.

"He told us that he was treated very well," he said.

The incident was discussed in Monday's weekly cabinet meeting saying that Fayaz had "insulted" ministers with "baseless" allegations, the Afghan government said in a statement.

"In the past, Mr. Fayaz demanded money from ministers and asked the minister of water and energy to ensure 24-hour electricity to his residence," said the statement on Monday. "When his demand was rejected, he made such baseless accusations."

Afghanistan is struggling to fight off the Taliban insurgency and at the same time meet the expectations of a public growing ever more impatient with the lack of development more than six years after the Islamist movement was toppled from power.

Power cuts affect the capital Kabul for much of the day while electricity is even rarer in other cities or near non-existent in most villages.

The government has arrested a number of reporters in recent years and rights groups say freedom the press, one of the few achievements since the end of Taliban rule, is now under threat.

"The case is still not over and has been passed to the attorney general's office," said Mirzai.