French-Afghan journalist Mortaza Behboudi, held in detention since January in Afghanistan, was freed after charges against him were dropped, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Wednesday.
"The Taliban judiciary have ordered the release of journalist Mortaza Behboudi. The decision has just come through after 284 days of imprisonment," RSF said in a statement to AFP.
All charges, including espionage and illegal support for foreigners, were thrown out at a criminal court hearing in Kabul, the press freedom NGO said.
He was due to return to France by the end of the week.
Originally from Afghanistan, Behboudi, 29, became a refugee in France and worked for multiple French media before returning to his home country on a journalistic assignment on January 5.
He was arrested two days later while waiting for his press accreditation.
In July, a Taliban spokesman told France Television that he had been arrested "not as a journalist... but because he had direct links with opponents of our regime."