3 months ago
- The Taliban's smartphone ban, effective June 16, prohibits government employees, military, police, and judges from using smartphones, with threats of device confiscation and punishment.
- Smartphones are vital in Afghanistan for remote healthcare, education coordination, family communication, and documenting abuses, forming a fragile support system now under threat.
- The ban has extended to universities and schools, disrupting student access to lessons, emergency family contact, and educational resources, particularly affecting girls and women barred from in-person schooling.
- Healthcare access is severely impacted, as smartphones enable remote consultations, photo sharing for diagnoses, and urgent coordination for maternal and newborn care in remote areas.
- The ban followed protests in Herat over hijab enforcement, and Taliban leaders frame smartphones as threats to Islamic values and future generations, though citizens use them for advocacy and accountability.