The Taliban has ordered a ban on smartphones for its members and officials. It is to take effect from the end of June

The Taliban leadership is tightening rules for its own ranks. The supreme leader of the movement has issued an oral directive that prohibits its members and government employees from using smartphones, and its observance is to be monitored by military courts in eight zones into which the territory is divided. The Afghanistan International website reported this.

Who the smartphone ban applies to

The order was issued by the supreme leader of the Taliban, Hibatullah Akhundzada, in the form of an oral directive. The Ministry of Justice circulated it to the presidents of military courts in the country’s eight zones and also informed police commanders and intelligence chiefs about it. The directive applies to members of the movement and government employees and specifically targets smartphones, not mobile phones in general.

According to the document, highlighted by Afghanistan International, authorities are also maintaining a list of individuals under surveillance. For each person, they record their name, position, place of operation, mobile network, and phone number.

How the ban is to be enforced

The order is to come into effect on the first day of the month of Muharram in the year 1447 according to the Islamic calendar, which corresponds to June 26, 2026. From this date, violations are to be punished by the destruction of the phone and, if necessary, by “religious and legal” actions. Offenders are to be dealt with by military courts falling under the military section of the movement’s supreme court.

The document does not provide an official justification. Restrictions on smartphones are generally associated with concerns about information leakage and the dissemination of unapproved content via social networks and communication applications.

The ban was preceded by other restrictions

This is not the first step in this direction. In 2025, Akhundzada urged members of the movement to limit their use of smartphones. Three days before the issuance of the current order, the Ministry of Education instructed students not to bring phones to schools or religious seminaries.

In October 2025, universities then banned the use of smartphones in the workplace during working hours, with the exception of institutional leadership. The Minister of Higher Education previously called smartphones “one of the three main enemies of Muslims.”

What do you think about any form of phone ban?

Sources: Afghanistan International, KabulNow