Afghanistan without internet

Since September 29th at 5pm, Afghanistan has been in complete silence. The country, in addition to other restrictions, has been declared off the internet, away from social media and telecommunications.

The Taliban in Afghanistan have completely disrupted the internet, fiber optic services, and telecommunications networks, which has caused flights to be suspended at Kabul airport and disrupted banks.

Thousands of people living abroad are worried about their families in Afghanistan because they have no news of them.

Afghanistan is a country that the world does not know what is happening there.

A country where no one can hear from another, even from each other in Afghanistan itself, and everyone is living in fear and terror.

In recent years, Afghanistan has witnessed political and social changes, one of the messages of which has been the subtle shutdown and severe restrictions of the internet across the country. This action, carried out by the Taliban government, has had profound effects on the daily lives of people, especially women, students, journalists and civil society activists.

Internet shutdown: a tool for control and repression

Since coming to power in August 2021, the Taliban have increasingly used internet shutdowns or restrictions as a means to control information, prevent popular protests and suppress freedom of expression. In many cases, the internet has been completely cut off in certain areas or access to social networks and messengers has been restricted.

Impact on people’s daily lives

* Students: With the internet, many students are deprived of access to online educational resources. This has been particularly disastrous for girls who are prevented from going to school.

* Businesses: Many small businesses that rely on the internet for sales, advertising or customer communication are going bankrupt.

* Journalists and civil society activists: The internet shutdown has severely restricted independent news and reporting and the information space. Relations imposed on women

Issues related to women’s issues in the field of women include:

* Ban on girls’ education in secondary schools and universities

* Ban on women’s work in many public and private institutions

* Mandatory full-face veiling and restrictions on movement without male accompaniment

* Ban on women’s entry into parks, sports clubs and public places

These restrictions alter women’s human rights, but they also cause social isolation, affecting society rather than reducing it.

The internet as a window of hope

In such circumstances, the internet has been a way for many Afghans, especially women, to connect with the outside world, educate themselves and express their pain and aspirations. Cutting off this window of hope is like silencing the voices of millions of people struggling for a better life.