Taliban Releases Austrian Held in Afghanistan

The Taliban released Herbert Fritz, an Austrian citizen affiliated with the far-right, who had been detained in Afghanistan since May. The Austrian government stated that Fritz (84 years old) arrived in Doha earlier today after mediation by the Qatari government. Following his detention last year, the Austrian newspaper Der Standard reported that Fritz went to Afghanistan and provided positive reports about living conditions there. The newspaper noted that these reports fueled anti-immigration sentiments, suggesting the possibility of refugees returning to Afghanistan as it was deemed a safe country. It added that the Taliban detained him on suspicion of involvement in espionage activities. The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it had been working on securing Fritz's release since May, thanking Qatar and the EU delegation in Kabul for their assistance in bringing Fritz back to his homeland. Der Standard and other media reported that Fritz is one of the founding members of the National Democratic Party in Austria, a far-right party banned since 1988. The Freedom Party, also far-right, pressured for Fritz's release, claiming he was conducting research in Afghanistan. The Qatari Foreign Ministry thanked the Taliban administration for its cooperation "in releasing an Austrian detainee in Afghanistan," without mentioning his name. The Austrian Documentation Center for Resistance described Fritz as an activist in far-right political circles. Fritz has not yet been reachable for comment.