Mobile phone signal and internet service in Afghanistan, ruled by the Taliban government, weakened on Monday night until connectivity was less than one percent of normal levels.
“Nationwide internet shutdown by (the) Taliban has extremely serious human rights ramifications across the country,” the UN rights office wrote on X.
The shutdown has curtailed the free flow of information crucial to everyday activities, including access to essential services from health and education to banking.
“Women and girls already excluded from public life are especially affected. We call for immediate reconnection,” the office added.
Afghans have been unable to contact each other, online businesses and the banking systems are frozen, while members of the diaspora cannot send crucial remittances to their families.
