Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Taliban turning off the internet

53 replies

ArabellaSaurus · 26/09/2025 20:20

https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-internet-ban-extinguishing-the-only-light-that-still-reaches-us-13436723

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/looms-laptops-afghan-women-lose-lifeline-taliban-internet-ban-2025-09-23/

'Local government officials confirmed a ban on fibre-optic services in five northern provinces — Balkh, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Takhar and Baghlan. Officials said the ban is to prevent "immoral activities." Residents in other provinces, including Kandahar, Herat and Parwan have reported disruptions, though these have not been formally acknowledged by authorities.'
...
'"A complete ban has been imposed on fibre-optic cable … This action has been taken to prevent immoral activities, and an alternative solution will be developed within the country to meet necessary needs," Haji Zaid, a spokesman for the governor of the Balkh province said last week.
The Kunduz provincial media office issued a similar statement. The Ministry of Communications in Kabul did not immediately respond to a request for comment.'
...
'The internet has been a lifeline for students, especially girls barred from secondary schools and universities, but the shutdown has cut off even that option in northern Afghanistan.

Afghanistan internet ban 'extinguishing the only light that still reaches us'

A teacher in Afghanistan shares what the internet ban in the country is doing to the people who rely on it.

https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-internet-ban-extinguishing-the-only-light-that-still-reaches-us-13436723

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
NotAtMyAge · 26/09/2025 20:23

The v
Taliban really would prefer to take their country back to the eighth century, wouldn't' they?

MrsTerryPratchett · 26/09/2025 20:29

Soon it will be homemade radios and dog-eared books and then they’ll have detector vans and it will be nothing.

Even with good fathers in the home it will be impossible for girls to learn. I despair.

Coatsoff42 · 26/09/2025 20:29

When people are afraid of the internet and talk about it being an absolute cesspit (porn, grooming, catfishing, identity theft etc) it’s easy to forget it’s also source of knowledge and freedom for people in dark places.

EasternStandard · 26/09/2025 20:41

Frightening. It gets worse at each announcement.

AMillionTomorrows · 26/09/2025 20:44

Does the UN have anything to say about this? What is their responsibility to Afghan women, if any?

Sliceofbattenberg · 26/09/2025 20:45

AMillionTomorrows · 26/09/2025 20:44

Does the UN have anything to say about this? What is their responsibility to Afghan women, if any?

Afghanistan is a sovereign state, the UN cannot tell them what to do.

AMillionTomorrows · 26/09/2025 20:52

Thank you, I see. Awful that countries may kill, torture and abuse their citizens, as long as they keep it within their own borders.

JazzyJelly · 26/09/2025 20:55

I'm so angry and feel so powerless. Why is nobody talking about this? I mean, I know why: women aren't 'real' people. But I'm still furious.

Is there anything we can do, besides emailing our MPs (who will ignore it)? Is anybody organising a protest?

ArabellaSaurus · 26/09/2025 21:00

There is this:

https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/situation-afghanistan-icc-pre-trial-chamber-ii-issues-arrest-warrants-haibatullah-akhundzada

'Today, 8 July 2025, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “the Court”) has issued, in the context of the Situation of Afghanistan, warrants of arrest for Mr Haibatullah Akhundzada, Supreme Leader of the Taliban, and Mr Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Chief Justice of the Taliban, who have exercised de facto authority in Afghanistan at least from 15 August 2021.
The Chamber has found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Haibatullah Akhundzada and Mr Abdul Hakim Haqqani have committed by ordering, inducing or soliciting the crime against humanity of persecution, under article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute, on gender grounds against girls, women and other persons non-conforming with the Taliban’s policy on gender, gender identity or expression; and on political grounds against persons perceived as “allies of girls and women”. These crimes are believed to have been committed on the territory of Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power on 15 August 2021, and have continued until at least 20 January 2025. '

OP posts:
NotAtMyAge · 26/09/2025 21:08

"the crime against humanity of persecution, under article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute, on gender grounds against girls, women and other persons non-conforming with the Taliban’s policy on gender, gender identity or expression"

They really can't stop themselves using gender ideology language when we know that women and girls are being persecuted and oppressed because of their sex. 😬

MoltenLasagne · 26/09/2025 21:10

NotAtMyAge · 26/09/2025 20:23

The v
Taliban really would prefer to take their country back to the eighth century, wouldn't' they?

That was my first thought too - they want to take their country back to the dark ages.

It is, I suppose, a small comfort that there are arrest warrants out, in so much as it shows that people are paying attention. Highly doubt it will make the smallest difference though, sadly.

Rituelec · 26/09/2025 21:13

Sickening ;(

NotReallyButMaybe · 26/09/2025 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

WertieBooster · 26/09/2025 23:26

The situation for Afghan women really, really upsets me. To the extent that I have a lump in my throat hearing this: the next miserable form of torture.

All I can think of to do is give an amount I can afford by DD each month to Afghan Women. Will find the charity and post a link.

WertieBooster · 26/09/2025 23:35

It’s simply afghanwomen.org

TracyBeakerSoYeah · 27/09/2025 00:00

The Taliban are sick, they just hate women & want to drag Afghanistan back to the beginning of Islam.
It was mainly a Buddhist country in the 7th century.

Don't the Taliban actually realise that they are disrespecting Allah? As women are supposed to be revered & also allowed to be educated & earn money.

I hope one day that the people of such a beautiful country will rise up & overthrow these selfish, cruel & immoral men

ThorsRaven · 27/09/2025 02:08

Taliban orders 'complete ban' on fibre optic internet in northern Afghanistan

The fact they're targeting the north is interesting.

The Taliban are mostly ultra-conservative Pashtuns from southern Afghanistan.

The northern regions of Afghanistan are inhabited by Tajiks, Hazara, Turkmen and Uzbeks - these are the people that resisted and fought the Taliban before the western invasion.

These ethnic groups previously formed the Northern Alliance which was the main force fighting the Taliban pre-invasion, and they allied with western nations during the invasion and occupation. They also contributed to the western-backed government and the rebuilding of civil society.

Additionally, these groups tend to be more socially liberal than the ultra-conservative Pashtun/Taliban - in the areas under their control women had a right to education, work, political participation, freedom of movement and speech; and they didn't have to wear the burqa.

These groups were also persecuted by the Taliban and were often victims of Taliban massacres. The Taliban perpetrated genocide against the Hazaras in the 90's, and they have recently been targeting Hazara girls for forced marriages.

The earthquake earlier this year impacted the north eastern region of Afghanistan, including Panjshir which was the heart of the previous resistance. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the Taliban failed to deliver proper aid or assistance, and instead of undertaking rescue operations, they issued a ban on poetry. There's been disquiet in that region ever since.

If the Taliban are shutting down the internet in the north of Afghanistan, it's possibly because the people of the north are using the internet to organise and build resistance to Taliban control.

Taliban orders 'complete ban' on fibre optic internet in northern Afghanistan, as reports says order will be enforced nationwide

A Taliban spokesman said the ban would help 'prevent' immorality'

https://news.sky.com/story/taliban-orders-complete-ban-on-fibre-optic-internet-in-northern-afghanistan-as-reports-says-order-will-be-enforced-nationwide-13432773

Ponderingwindow · 27/09/2025 02:13

Sliceofbattenberg · 26/09/2025 20:45

Afghanistan is a sovereign state, the UN cannot tell them what to do.

No government that treats half of their population like this should be recognized as a sovereign state. The Afghanistan government does not represent all its people. It is not legitimate.

IrnBruAndDietCoke · 27/09/2025 02:32

Thank you for sharing this. I know people think this isn’t being heard but I save every link about the women in Afghanistan that I see in FWR and use it to teach as one of the main case studies we are using for a range of geographical concepts in my all-female classroom here in another country with a very censored internet. This information and their plight is getting around the world. I wish we could tell these women in Afghanistan that we see them, hear them, and wish there was something else we could do.

Since I moved here, I’ve discovered that Mumsnet is one of the only places of open discussion that I can use here without a VPN (which barely work in this province as the internet is so slow) so please never stop talking about this, I can get this info to my girls as long as it’s being shared on MN.

ArabellaSaurus · 27/09/2025 07:16

IrnBruAndDietCoke · 27/09/2025 02:32

Thank you for sharing this. I know people think this isn’t being heard but I save every link about the women in Afghanistan that I see in FWR and use it to teach as one of the main case studies we are using for a range of geographical concepts in my all-female classroom here in another country with a very censored internet. This information and their plight is getting around the world. I wish we could tell these women in Afghanistan that we see them, hear them, and wish there was something else we could do.

Since I moved here, I’ve discovered that Mumsnet is one of the only places of open discussion that I can use here without a VPN (which barely work in this province as the internet is so slow) so please never stop talking about this, I can get this info to my girls as long as it’s being shared on MN.

Well, that in itself is a good reason to share these stories. Is there anything else that would be useful for us to share? I can do a search and gather a bunch of links and copy/paste the pertinent info if thats of use? Just let me know. PM me if that makes it easier.

OP posts:
ArabellaSaurus · 27/09/2025 07:22

ThorsRaven · 27/09/2025 02:08

Taliban orders 'complete ban' on fibre optic internet in northern Afghanistan

The fact they're targeting the north is interesting.

The Taliban are mostly ultra-conservative Pashtuns from southern Afghanistan.

The northern regions of Afghanistan are inhabited by Tajiks, Hazara, Turkmen and Uzbeks - these are the people that resisted and fought the Taliban before the western invasion.

These ethnic groups previously formed the Northern Alliance which was the main force fighting the Taliban pre-invasion, and they allied with western nations during the invasion and occupation. They also contributed to the western-backed government and the rebuilding of civil society.

Additionally, these groups tend to be more socially liberal than the ultra-conservative Pashtun/Taliban - in the areas under their control women had a right to education, work, political participation, freedom of movement and speech; and they didn't have to wear the burqa.

These groups were also persecuted by the Taliban and were often victims of Taliban massacres. The Taliban perpetrated genocide against the Hazaras in the 90's, and they have recently been targeting Hazara girls for forced marriages.

The earthquake earlier this year impacted the north eastern region of Afghanistan, including Panjshir which was the heart of the previous resistance. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the Taliban failed to deliver proper aid or assistance, and instead of undertaking rescue operations, they issued a ban on poetry. There's been disquiet in that region ever since.

If the Taliban are shutting down the internet in the north of Afghanistan, it's possibly because the people of the north are using the internet to organise and build resistance to Taliban control.

Thank you, useful context. There is resistance to the Taliban. I feel that the overthrow will have to come from within Afghanistan. But then there are various other tensions, also, aren't there, from bordering countries.

OP posts:
CarefullyCuratedFurniture · 27/09/2025 11:17

Agree with everything you've said there, @ThorsRaven. This is very tactical on the part of the Taliban, and once again, women and girls are collateral damage.

Rituelec · 27/09/2025 21:48

I dont know how people can ignore the issues.

IwantToRetire · 27/09/2025 22:15

This came up on the existing thread about women in Afghanistan.

Sadly it may well be in response to the fact that because it is so hard for women to meet up, let alone receive aid, there have been quite a few initiatives about supporting women virtually.

And whilst I dont think this method being shared on FWR would have reached the Taliban, it has been publicised by the BBC etc..

So there may well be any number of reasons aimed at the population as a whole to cut acess to the internet, but there is no doubt that women increasingly isolated in the home are the ones who are going to be most impacted.