Taliban bans smartphones for Afghan government workers, threatens destruction and prison

The Taliban has banned smartphones for all government workers in Afghanistan, threatening to smash devices and imprison violators. The order, reportedly from Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, is seen as a move to curb internal leaks, control information after protest videos spread online, and address productivity concerns. The ban is reportedly hampering government work and may be a prelude to wider restrictions on the general population.

Taliban smartphone ban order

• ▪The order is described as an "initial step," with some analysts suggesting it could be a prelude to a wider, population-level ban
• ▪The Taliban government has ordered all civil servants, security forces, teachers, and other officials to stop bringing smartphones to their jobs
• ▪The ban applies to all government employees in both military and civilian departments, with exemptions requiring a written decree from the supreme leader
• ▪The order, which took effect on June 17, was issued by the Taliban's Supreme Court and reportedly came from Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada

Enforcement variation across regions

• ▪The ban is being implemented in an "ad-hoc" way, with some local bans on government workers in place for months prior to the nationwide order
• ▪Punishments vary by region, with warnings of being fired in Ghazni province and a potential six-month prison sentence in Badakhshan province
• ▪Violators of the smartphone ban face having their devices smashed and other punishments
• ▪Government workers have complained the ban hampers their jobs, which rely on apps like WhatsApp for communication and AI for translation

September internet blackout precedent

• ▪In September, the Taliban government ordered a two-day nationwide internet blackout to "prevent immorality" and curb pornography
• ▪The previous internet blackout disrupted commerce, banking, emergency services, and aviation before being reversed

Herat protests video documentation

• ▪The smartphone ban may be linked to recent street protests in Herat, where videos of the demonstrations spread online
• ▪During the Herat protests against "improper hijab" arrests, Taliban forces reportedly fired into a crowd, killing at least two people

Internal leaks from officials

• ▪The Taliban is concerned about internal leaks, with officials using smartphones to photograph documents and record meetings for public release
• ▪The ban was also driven by concerns that officials were unproductive, spending too much time on their phones instead of working

Productivity concerns cited

• ▪The order followed calls from religious scholars and judges to curb what they described as online "pornography and corruption."