Poll: Taliban Internet Shutdown Seen as Repression Tool

DID Press: More than half of Afghanistan people believe the Taliban’s decision to cut internet access is aimed at silencing dissent and concealing repression.

The poll, conducted after widespread outages across several parts of the country, found that 53% of respondents see the move as a deliberate effort to prevent documentation of human rights abuses and block protesters’ voices from reaching the outside world.

A further 36% said the Taliban sought to impose isolation and absolute control over people’s lives, echoing policies from the group’s first rule in the 1990s.

Only 11% viewed the decision as a security measure to curb opposition activities, while none of the participants linked it to concerns over corruption or inefficiency.

The findings highlight a deep mistrust of the Taliban’s caretaker government and growing fears of a return to a closed, tightly controlled society. Analysts say the results suggest that internet restrictions are widely seen as a political weapon rather than a security necessity.

Observers warn that such measures not only erode public trust but also risk pushing Afghanistan further into international isolation.