Statement by Displaced International on the Taliban’s Internet Ban in Northern Afghanistan
Displaced International strongly condemns the Taliban’s decision to impose an internet ban in Balkh Province, a measure that threatens to spread further across northern Afghanistan. Cutting off access to fiber-optic (WiFi) services under the pretext of “preventing immorality” is another deliberate act of repression against the Afghan people, with especially dire consequences for women, girls, and the country’s fragile, aid-dependent economy.
Ambassador Ashraf Haidari, President of Displaced International, warned: “The internet ban in Balkh is not merely a restriction on connectivity — it is a deliberate denial of women’s dignity, of their future, and of Afghanistan’s potential. Such medieval, extreme measures by the Taliban suffocate the Afghan people in every way and forcibly displace them to neighboring countries. By severing women and girls from education, from vital services, and from the world, the Taliban are driving Afghanistan further into isolation and hardship. The world must take action to reverse this and other such measures before an entire nation is erased from modern life.”
For Afghan women and girls, already barred from secondary schools, universities, and most forms of employment, the internet had become one of the last lifelines for education and connection. Online classes, access to textbooks, preparation for international exams, and participation in remote learning programs are now extinguished. This move deepens Afghanistan’s gender apartheid, designed to erase women and girls from public and intellectual life.
The impact extends beyond education. Afghanistan’s humanitarian response — already obstructed by Taliban bans on female aid workers — depends on internet connectivity for coordination, outreach, and delivery. Restricting communications further undermines the ability of aid agencies and civil society to respond to recurring disasters, from earthquakes to drought, worsening the suffering of vulnerable communities.
Economically, the ban cripples small businesses, traders, and professionals who rely on digital tools to survive in a collapsed economy. By isolating entire provinces from the global digital network, the Taliban are accelerating Afghanistan’s economic implosion, cutting off opportunities for employment, trade, and financial stability.
Displaced International calls on the Taliban to immediately reverse this ban and guarantee unfettered internet access nationwide. We urge the international community to apply maximum diplomatic and political pressure, linking any engagement with the Taliban to respect for fundamental rights, including digital access, women’s education, and humanitarian cooperation. Donors and multilateral organizations must ensure that assistance does not legitimize repression but instead supports the Afghan people’s demand for freedom, dignity, and opportunity.
The internet ban is not only an assault on women’s rights but also an attack on Afghanistan’s future. It must be lifted without delay.
