Translated with AI
The 48-hour internet and telecommunications shutdown in Afghanistan last month significantly exacerbated the hardships facing the country's population, according to a report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
The report is based on more than 100 interviews conducted after the countrywide communications blackout imposed by the de facto authorities from September 29 to October 1, 2025.
As noted in the document, the lack of telecommunications has disrupted the functioning of the healthcare system, the banking sector, small businesses, and other essential services. Human rights violations identified include delays in medical care, restricted access to emergency and medical services, disruption of humanitarian operations, increased discriminatory restrictions against women and girls, interference in the daily and family lives of citizens, and the shutdown of local businesses and the banking system.
The report places special emphasis on the situation of women and girls. They are already facing some of the most severe restrictions in the world. During the blackout, many women were unable to contact their male relatives (mahrams), who are legally required to accompany them when traveling long distances, or to work, shopping, or medical appointments. One woman reported being unable to reach her father by phone and was forced to walk home in extreme fear. Furthermore, online learning remains the only accessible option for women and girls to access education beyond sixth grade, making the blackout particularly critical.
In the healthcare sector, the report documented deaths that could have been avoided with functioning communications. At a hospital in Laghman province, a pregnant woman with severe bleeding needed urgent transport, but was unable to reach an ambulance. As a result, the baby died, while the mother survived but suffered complications.
Humanitarian organizations noted that the temporary communication outage disrupted their operations and delayed the provision of aid to victims of the August 31, 2025, earthquake in Nangarhar, Laghman, and Kunar provinces, and also hampered operations to support the mass return of Afghans from Pakistan.
The UN emphasized that communications restrictions violate the rights to freedom of expression and access to information, contrary to Afghanistan's human rights obligations. The country's de facto authorities have not publicly explained the reasons for these restrictions.
The report's authors recalled that authorities are obligated to comply with international human rights standards, and that any restrictions must be implemented within the framework of the law and consistent with the principles of necessity and proportionality to the objectives pursued.
