2. Previous Functions:
Editor of the daily Sarnewesht: (20110110)

3. Biodata:
Assadullah Wahidi is a political analyst and chief editor of the Sarnawisht Daily newspaper. He said the growing insurgent menace in Maidan-Wardak province was a result of failed policies. He warned that opposition to the occupation was now a majority opinion among his people. Assadolah Vahidi was arrested 20110109 on the orders of Afghanistan’s chief prosecutor, on the strength of a complaint from President Hamid Karzai’s national security advisor, Rangin Dadfar Spanta, without any consultation with the Commission for Media Complaints. This arrest was illegal, in terms of the way it was carried out, the worldwide press freedom organisation said. Under the current media law, any press case should first go before the Commission for Media Complaints, which is the responsibility of the information and culture ministry, which then has the power to send a file to the prosecutor and to proceed to possible imprisonment of a journalist. Wahidi said he was arrested because of a news story he published about a former member of the Wolesi Jirga, Wahid Tahiri, who is Rangin Dadfar Spanta’s brother. The story had accused Tahiri of having his own armed group. Chief prosecutor Mohammad Ishaq Aloko, told the media that “this arrest has been ordered by the Commission for Media Complaints”, while the information and culture minister, Sayed Makhdoom Rahin said, “The commission had no responsibility for this arrest”. Wahidi was released on Monday night (20110110) after spending 30 hours in detention. Reporters Without Borders noted with concern that illegal detention of journalists is becoming more and more common in Afghanistan. Hojatullah Mujadadi, director of Radio Kapisa, has been in custody for more than 100 days, accused by the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of “terrorist activities”, without any serious evidence. Several other Afghan journalists have complained to Reporters Without Borders of suffering violent or threatening behaviour on the part of police or members of the NDS.