Taliban bans smartphone use for Afghan civil servants, sparking fears over information access

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has imposed a nationwide ban on smartphone use by civil servants, including military personnel and judges, raising concerns among rights activists that the measure could further restrict access to information and communication.

A military court order reviewed by Reuters said the ban came into effect on June 16 and applies to officials across both civilian and military institutions. The order warned that those violating the directive would have their phones destroyed and could face legal punishment.

The Taliban administration has not publicly commented on the order.

The restriction has already disrupted government operations, according to employees who said many official tasks previously relied on mobile phones, messaging applications such as WhatsApp and email.

“The impact has been so significant that many administrative processes have effectively come to a halt, because most official work was previously carried out through mobile phones, WhatsApp, and email,” one government employee said.

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Rights advocates said smartphones remain one of the few tools Afghans use to access education, document abuses, communicate privately and reach uncensored information.

They said the order could mark another step in the Taliban’s tightening control over public life since returning to power in August 2021.

Since then, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, the media and civil society. Girls remain barred from secondary schools and universities, many women have been pushed out of employment, and activists and journalists have reported intimidation, detention and censorship.

”Today, a smartphone is no longer just a source of entertainment,” said Sanam Kabiri, a women’s rights activist based in Australia.

”When its use is prohibited in government offices, it raises concerns that the objective may extend beyond maintaining administrative order to also restricting access to information and communication.”

With inputs from agencies