Press Watchdog Protests Afghan Journalist's Detention

KABUL, Afghanistan — A press advocacy group says a journalist with Canadian television station CTV has been held without charge by the American military in Afghanistan since October, and the military should file charges or set him free.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said it is "greatly concerned" by the detention of Jawed Ahmad, an Afghan who worked for the network. He is being held at the military compound in Bagram north of Kabul. Jawed Ahmad, 22, who is also known as Jojo Yazemi, was detained in the southern city of Kandahar in October. His brother, Siddique Ahmad, told the Associated Press that the military accused Jawed of having contact with local Taliban fighters. Jawed Ahmad said the military believed he had improper contact with Taliban officials because he had Taliban phone numbers and a video of Taliban materials, according to his brother. Siddique Ahmad said the International Committee of the Red Cross helped him talk with his brother through a videophone connection it set up with prisoners in Bagram for family members.

"He just told me to tell all the journalists, 'Please, help me, because I'm a journalist, and I'm innocent. Try to help me to get out of Bagram,'" Siddique Ahmad said. Major Chris Belcher, an American military spokesman, confirmed yesterday that Jawed Ahmad is being held at the Bagram facility but said he could not discuss details of the case.

It is common for journalists in Afghanistan to have contact information of Taliban fighters so they can seek militants' comments for news stories.

"We are deeply troubled that Jawed Ahmad has been secluded in a U.S. military base for nearly three months without charge," Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said Monday.

"The United States military must explain the reason for his detention and accord him due process. If he is not charged with any crime then he must be released immediately," Mr. Simon said. CTV has asked NATO, Canadian, and American military officials about Ahmad's detention but has received no information, Robert Hurst, president of CTV News, told the journalist group.

Jawed Ahmad's case is the latest instance of the American military arresting without charge a journalist in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. In most cases, the journalists have been freed. However, Iraqi journalist Bilal Hussein, a Pulitzer-winning Associated Press photographer, has been held by the American military without charge for 22 months.