03.10.2025 14:02:00
Дата публикации
The #KeepItOn coalition and human rights organization Access Now issued a statement condemning the complete internet shutdown in Afghanistan. They demand that the Taliban immediately restore digital connectivity and end arbitrary restrictions.
According to the international monitoring organization IODA, internet access in the country was cut off on September 29, 2025. This coincided with warnings from local media about the planned shutdown. Cloudflare Radar confirmed that traffic in Afghanistan dropped to zero, leaving the country entirely disconnected.
Earlier in September, authorities had already disabled Wi-Fi in 15 provinces, including Kunduz and Badakhshan, allegedly “to combat immorality.” This is the fourth major blackout since 2021, when the Taliban took power.
The statement emphasizes that internet shutdowns are not merely technical measures but tools of censorship. In 2023, the authorities introduced licensing for YouTube channels, and in 2024 attempted to ban smartphones altogether.
Reports indicate that only government bodies and diplomats now have access to the internet via a new state-controlled provider. All other citizens require special permission, deepening surveillance and widening digital inequality.
The blackout has been particularly devastating for women and girls, for whom online education is the only accessible form of learning. Thousands of students and teachers have been cut off from virtual classrooms.
The shutdown also hampers the coordination of humanitarian aid following a major earthquake in the eastern part of the country. Journalists are unable to verify information, and human rights defenders cannot respond effectively to the crisis.
The statement’s authors stress that such actions cause long-term damage to the economy, education, gender equality, and technological development.
About 70 organizations, including the Eurasian Digital Foundation, signed the appeal, calling on the international community to publicly condemn the shutdown and support the restoration of connectivity in the country.
“No one should be condemned to digital silence,” the #KeepItOn statement reads. The coalition demands the immediate restoration of all forms of internet access and an end to further arbitrary restrictions.
Freedom of information online is a fundamental right that must not become a hostage to disproportionate decisions. Recent events demonstrate the failure of digital governance that erodes trust and provokes instability.
Attempts to limit access to information do not solve problems — they make them worse. This is why the Eurasian Digital Foundation advocates, through its shutdown.kz initiative, against internet blackouts and for fair digital regulation. The internet must remain open and accessible to all.
According to the international monitoring organization IODA, internet access in the country was cut off on September 29, 2025. This coincided with warnings from local media about the planned shutdown. Cloudflare Radar confirmed that traffic in Afghanistan dropped to zero, leaving the country entirely disconnected.
Earlier in September, authorities had already disabled Wi-Fi in 15 provinces, including Kunduz and Badakhshan, allegedly “to combat immorality.” This is the fourth major blackout since 2021, when the Taliban took power.
The statement emphasizes that internet shutdowns are not merely technical measures but tools of censorship. In 2023, the authorities introduced licensing for YouTube channels, and in 2024 attempted to ban smartphones altogether.
Reports indicate that only government bodies and diplomats now have access to the internet via a new state-controlled provider. All other citizens require special permission, deepening surveillance and widening digital inequality.
The blackout has been particularly devastating for women and girls, for whom online education is the only accessible form of learning. Thousands of students and teachers have been cut off from virtual classrooms.
The shutdown also hampers the coordination of humanitarian aid following a major earthquake in the eastern part of the country. Journalists are unable to verify information, and human rights defenders cannot respond effectively to the crisis.
The statement’s authors stress that such actions cause long-term damage to the economy, education, gender equality, and technological development.
About 70 organizations, including the Eurasian Digital Foundation, signed the appeal, calling on the international community to publicly condemn the shutdown and support the restoration of connectivity in the country.
“No one should be condemned to digital silence,” the #KeepItOn statement reads. The coalition demands the immediate restoration of all forms of internet access and an end to further arbitrary restrictions.
Freedom of information online is a fundamental right that must not become a hostage to disproportionate decisions. Recent events demonstrate the failure of digital governance that erodes trust and provokes instability.
Attempts to limit access to information do not solve problems — they make them worse. This is why the Eurasian Digital Foundation advocates, through its shutdown.kz initiative, against internet blackouts and for fair digital regulation. The internet must remain open and accessible to all.
