Taliban Smartphone Ban Sparks New Press Freedom

DID Press: Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) has condemned a Taliban directive banning government employees from using smartphones, warning that the measure could further restrict freedom of expression and access to information in the country.

The organization said the decision represents another setback for media freedom and public access to information, arguing that the new restrictions will further hinder the flow of news and official communication.

According to the AFJC, the order was issued by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada during a meeting with provincial governors in Kandahar.

The directive has reportedly been communicated to several provinces, including Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Logar, Balkh, Kunduz, Baghlan, Badghis, Badakhshan, Herat, Helmand and Ghazni.

The ban follows earlier Taliban restrictions on media activities, including limits on the publication of images of living beings and the suspension of many video interviews.

A local journalist in Khost told the AFJC that official information-sharing through WhatsApp groups had effectively ceased following implementation of the order.

The center also reported that journalists working for the state-run Bakhtar News Agency in several provinces had been instructed to rely on email for work-related communication, a move the organization described as “a peak of regression.

“The AFJC called on the Taliban to reconsider the decision and respect citizens’ fundamental rights, including access to information.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about the state of media freedom in Afghanistan, where journalists continue to face significant restrictions under Taliban rule.