AMSO: Taliban’s Internet Shutdown Poses a Serious Threat to Media Activities

Photo: AFP/ArabNews

The Afghanistan Media Support Organization (AMSO), in a statement, strongly condemned the Taliban’s shutdown and restriction of fiber optic internet in several provinces of the country.

AMSO has warned that this action, implemented under the order of the Taliban leader, not only deprives millions of citizens of access to free information and essential services, but also places media activities under more serious threat than ever before.

The statement said: “Today, the internet is a fundamental human right and an important tool for education, information, advocacy, and social communication. Cutting it off under unjustified pretexts amounts to widespread censorship and an attempt to silence the voices of the people and the media.”

The organization has called on the international community and human rights defenders to take a firm stance against these restrictions and to pressure the Taliban to immediately restore internet services throughout Afghanistan.

This reaction comes as the Taliban in recent days have completely blocked fiber optic internet services in the provinces of Balkh, Badakhshan, Kandahar, Helmand, Kunduz, and Takhar. Local Taliban officials in Nangarhar have also announced that this process will soon be extended to other eastern provinces.