Taliban Cuts Fiber-Optic Internet in Afghanistan; AMSO Warns of Rising Digital Censorship
Tawazon – The Afghanistan Media Support Organization (AMSO) has strongly condemned the Taliban’s recent decision to restrict fiber-optic internet access in several provinces, warning that the move poses a serious threat to freedom of expression, press freedom, and citizens’ access to vital services.
In a statement today, September 17, AMSO said the internet shutdown, reportedly ordered by the Taliban’s top leadership, not only disrupts access to free information for millions of Afghans, but also weakens the ability of journalists, media outlets, educators, and civil society to operate.
“Today, the internet is a fundamental human right,” AMSO emphasized. “It is a critical tool for education, information-sharing, advocacy, and communication. Shutting it down under unjustified pretexts is a form of widespread censorship, aimed at silencing the people and the press.”
The Afghanistan Media Support Organization calls on th international community, human rights bodies, and defenders of freedom of expression to take serious action against these increasing restrictions on internet access and the free flow of information in Afghanistan. The organization called for pressure on the Taliban to fully restore internet services and ensure open access to information across all provinces.
The Taliban have stopped fiber-optic internet services in several provinces of Afghanistan, leaving tens of thousands of Afghans without internet access and making it more difficult to communicate, attend online classes, and receive or send news.
