Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership has announced their intention to impose limitations or potentially shut down access to Facebook, sparking concern among human rights advocates.

Najibullah Haqqani, the Taliban’s provisional minister for telecommunications and information technology, confirmed this decision in a recent interview with TOLO News, a Kabul-based outlet.

The move comes amidst a backdrop of prolonged conflict and restricted cellular and internet connectivity for many Afghan citizens, exacerbating an information blackout.

Under the interim rulership, various everyday activities have already faced prohibitions, including the education and employment of girls and women, formal educational institutions, musical entertainment, beauty services, and women’s access to national and public parks.

Furthermore, the strict Islamist government has banned Facebook pages belonging to international news organizations such as the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Deutsche Welle. Despite these bans, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported on Monday that these pages remain accessible within Afghanistan.

CPJ has criticized the move to curtail or block Facebook, arguing that it will further diminish information freedom in a country already devastated by war. The organization also highlighted the arrest of journalists, the shutdown of Afghan news sites, and the obstacles to accessing international media.

Beh Lih Yi, the Asia program coordinator for CPJ, strongly condemned the Taliban’s recent proposal.