Taliban Warns of Sharia Punishment for Anyone Using Smartphones in Afghanistan

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The Taliban follow Sunni Islam, yet the words of Shi’a leader Ayatollah Khomeini seem to reflect the ideology behind this latest move: “Allah did not create man so that he could have fun. The aim of creation was for mankind to be put to the test through hardship and prayer. An Islamic regime must be serious in every field. There are no jokes in Islam. There is no humor in Islam. There is no fun in Islam. There can be no fun and joy in whatever is serious.”

In Afghanistan, smartphones have become far more than communication devices. They serve as a critical lifeline for millions of people, enabling families to consult doctors remotely, arrange transport to distant medical facilities, share photos of injuries for treatment, request financial assistance from relatives, document abuses, and access educational resources—especially for girls and women who have been barred from many classrooms. That already fragile support system is now facing a serious challenge.

The Taliban have ordered government employees, judges, police personnel, and members of the armed forces to stop using smartphones under a directive that came into effect on June 16. Those who violate the order risk having their phones confiscated or destroyed and may face unspecified legal and sharia-based punishment.

Basic feature phones that allow only calls and text messages, without touchscreen, camera, or recording functions, remain permitted.

For now, the restriction does not extend to privately owned smartphones used by ordinary Afghan citizens. However, reports from several provinces indicate that similar rules are already being enforced in hospitals, schools, and universities, fueling concerns that the policy could eventually expand into a nationwide ban on public smartphone use.

The policy reportedly began as a verbal instruction from Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada before being formalized through a military court directive distributed to court heads, police commanders, and intelligence officials across Afghanistan's eight administrative zones. The directive states that anyone found using a smartphone will have the device destroyed and face "legal and sharia punishment." Any exemption requires a written order personally approved by Akhundzada. A separate court directive also extends the ban to officials serving in both military and civilian institutions, including judges.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)