"Legal And Sharia Punishment Will Be Imposed": Inside Taliban's Strict Ban On Using Phones

One wrong move with a smartphone could now cost Taliban officials their device and a lot more. Here's what the new punishment actually involves.

Taliban's new phone rule is already playing out on the ground.

Source : ABPLIVE AI

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Taliban bans officials' smartphones, threatening destruction and sharia punishment.
• Ban prevents leaks, improves productivity, eyes potential wider restrictions.
• Enforcement varies regionally, with some officials' phones already smashed.

The Taliban has rolled out a strict ban on smartphone use among its own government officials, warning that anyone caught with a device will have it destroyed on the spot and face sharia punishment under the law. The directive, issued through the Taliban's military courts, applies to everyone from senior officials to junior staff and general workers. 

Analysts tracking Afghanistan believe the move could be an early test before a wider, nationwide rollout of similar restrictions on ordinary citizens.

What Punishment Awaits Officials Caught Using Phones In Afghanistan?

According to a copy of the order reviewed by the Guardian, the punishment is laid out in blunt terms: "If anyone uses one, their mobile phone will be smashed, and legal and sharia punishment will be imposed on the violator." 

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In a world where SpaceX just raised $75B to colonize Mars, Apple is worth $4.3T, and Anthropic is eyeing a $1T AI valuation, the Taliban have banned smartphones and internet for… pic.twitter.com/RXlGRLrKqq

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The only way around the ban is a written exemption signed personally by the Taliban's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada. A video circulating online reportedly shows a Taliban official reading out the ban from his own phone, while another person is seen physically smashing devices.

The Guardian could not get a response from a Taliban spokesperson on the matter. Ground reports suggest enforcement varies by region, with some provinces limiting the ban to officials while others have extended it to women, civilians, teachers, students and even medical staff. 

In Herat province, the rule has reportedly been active for months already. One government employee said staff were warned roughly two months ago not to bring phones to work at all. "Me and a few colleagues and I didn't take it seriously. They confiscated them, and after we made a fuss about it, they smashed our phones," he said, putting his loss at around 8,000 afghanis, or £95.

Why Is The Taliban Cracking Down On Smartphone Use Now?

An analyst who studies Afghanistan said local decisions often drive these moves, but a bigger pattern may be forming. "It could be a prelude to a blanket ban, and they are just testing the waters," they said. 

Officials are reportedly worried about leaked documents, often photographed or recorded on phones and shared before the supreme leader formally approves them, along with falling productivity. 

Recent unrest in Herat, where protests over hijab-related arrests turned deadly, may have added urgency. Unlike other countries facing similar workplace distractions, the analyst noted, "I haven't seen any other countries legislating against it."

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