Press freedom group says Taliban court has freed a French-Afghan journalist held for 284 days

PARIS (AP) — A Taliban court in Afghanistan has released a French-Afghan journalist held for 284 days and cleared him of espionage and other charges, Reporters Without Borders said Wednesday.

The press freedom group said it is now working to quickly reunite Mortaza Behboudi with his wife, Alexandra, in Paris.

“It is the end of a painful ordeal,” said Christophe Deloire, the group’s secretary general.

Behboudi was arrested on Jan. 7, two days after he arrived in Afghanistan as part of a reporting assignment.

Behboudi was awarded the Bayeux Prize for War Correspondents last year for a series of reports about life in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.