Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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October 28, 2025 Human rights
The 48-hour internet and telecommunications shutdown in Afghanistan last month exacerbated the hardships already facing the country's population, according to a report released today 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 nationwide communications blackout implemented by the de facto authorities from September 29 to October 1, 2025.
Implications for human rights
As noted in the document, the healthcare system, the banking sector, small businesses, and essential services cannot function without telecommunications.
The report's authors described a number of identified human rights violations related to communications restrictions. These include delays in medical care or lack of access to healthcare and emergency services, disruption of humanitarian operations, the escalation of existing 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 situation of women and girls
Women and girls in Afghanistan are already facing the strictest restrictions in the world. As evidence shows, their lives became even more difficult during the communication blackout.
Some women, for example, were unable to contact their male relatives—mahrams. In Afghanistan, women are prohibited from traveling more than 78 kilometers or driving without a mahram. In some areas, such men must accompany women even on their way to work, shopping, or doctor's appointments. One Afghan woman recounted, "I couldn't call my father to come pick me up. I had to walk home. I was terrified, but luckily, I got home within an hour."
For many Afghan women, online learning remains the only option for education, as de facto authorities banned education for women and girls after sixth grade. One student said, "Those were terrible days and nights. We were desperate and afraid we'd be thrown back to the Stone Age. It was unbearable."
Violations in the healthcare sector
Healthcare workers described deaths that could have been prevented with functioning communications. At a hospital in Laghman province, a pregnant woman with severe bleeding needed urgent transport to the regional hospital, but the local ambulance broke down, and no other service could be reached. The baby died, and the mother survived, but she has complications. A nurse said, "I'm trained to save lives, but without communication, I felt completely helpless."
Help for earthquake victims
Humanitarian organizations reported that the communication outage disrupted their work, resulting in the delay of vital aid to those in need. During the communications disruption, humanitarian missions provided support. victims of the earthquake on August 31 in the provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman and Kunar, and also carried out operations in connection with the mass return of Afghans from Pakistan.
The UN emphasizes that the communications blackout and other restrictions violate the rights to freedom of expression and access to information, contrary to Afghanistan's human rights obligations. The de facto authorities have not yet publicly explained the reasons for these restrictions.
As the report emphasizes, authorities are obliged to comply with international human rights standards, and any restrictions must be carried out within the law and in accordance with the principles of necessity and proportionality to the objectives pursued.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.