Afghanistan's Taliban government has ordered a nationwide ban on smartphone use by civil servants, according to a military court order seen by Reuters. The prohibition applies to all officials of military and civilian institutions, including judges, starting June 16. Violators will have their cellphones smashed and face punishment under the law, the order stated. The Taliban administration did not respond to a request for comment.
Ministry Denies Ban
However, The Kabul Tribune reported that Afghanistan's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology denied measures to curtail smartphone use. In a statement issued on June 18, the ministry said claims by some media outlets, including remarks attributed to Communications Minister Abdul Ahad Fazli, were false and had no official basis.
Disruption to Official Work
Government employees said the restriction had already disrupted official work. One government employee noted, "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." The governor of Panjshir province announced immediate implementation of the ban inside all its offices.
Rights Advocates Raise Concerns
Rights advocates said smartphones remain one of the few tools Afghans use to access education, document abuses, communicate privately, and reach uncensored information. They warned 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.
Sanam Kabiri, a women's rights activist based in Australia, said, "Today, a smartphone is no longer just a source of entertainment. 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."
