Two journalists who work for Afghan’s media outlet Etilaat Roz were severely battered and beaten after taking photos while covering a women’s protest on Wednesday outside of a Kabul police station.

The protest was calling for an end to Taliban violations of women and girls. Photographer Nematullah Naqdi and reporter Taqi Daryabi released photos of their injuries once they had been released by the Taliban and were back in their office.

Naqdi said a Taliban fighter immediately tried to grab his camera when he began taking photos. The two said they were beaten with batons, electric cables and whips.

Naqdi told Agence France-Presse “One of the Taliban put his foot on my head, crushed my face against the concrete. They kicked me in the head…I thought they were going to kill me.”

Daryabi added “we were in so much pain that we couldn’t move.” Naqdi said he was told “you are lucky you weren’t beheaded” when asked why they were being beaten.

Naqdi said the Taliban were also rounding up anyone filming or taking photos of the demonstration.

The New York Post reports dozen of Afghan reporters have been beaten or accosted in recent weeks since the Taliban has recovered control of Afghanistan, despite the Taliban’s claims they will uphold press freedoms under the new regime.