UN human rights experts have raised significant concerns over the Taliban’s recent internet and social media restrictions in Afghanistan, calling them violations of fundamental human rights. The restrictions, which took effect on October 7, specifically target major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. This follows a nationwide internet blackout from September 29 to October 1, adding to the growing digital isolation in the country.
Prior to these measures, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had commanded a fiber-optic internet shutdown across five northern provinces earlier in September. Although connectivity was largely restored on October 1, the subsequent social media restrictions reflect a troubling pattern of control over digital communications. Such actions have also prompted warnings from experts about exacerbating Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian and economic crises. These measures further deepen issues of poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity, and critically hinder the delivery of necessary aid to vulnerable communities, including those suffering from natural disasters and forced returns from neighboring regions. More details on these events can be found here.
Moreover, the restrictions have a disproportionate impact on women, for whom online platforms are crucial for education, remote work, and social interactions. The internet has been a critical lifeline for Afghan women living under the Taliban’s gender-apartheid regime, offering vital virtual spaces amid severe job losses and systemic repression. The United Nations human rights experts emphasize that these measures fail to align with international standards, notably Article 19(3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The covenant stipulates that any limitations on the rights to freedom of expression and information access must be lawful, necessary, and proportional.
In a country where journalists and human rights defenders already face intense repression, the current restrictions significantly impair their ability to document Afghanistan’s dire human rights situation. The international community continues to call upon the Taliban to uphold its international obligations, ensuring any restrictions are justified and proportionate responses to specific concerns, rather than broad, sweeping infringements on fundamental freedoms.