Senior Taliban official labels social media users as "apostates"

Nada Mohammad Nadeem, the Taliban's Minister of Higher Education, declared that social media users are "apostates" during a conference held in Kabul on Friday, September 6. Nadeem criticized platforms like Twitter (now X) and Facebook, stating that they are filled with users who disrespect Islamic scholars, the Taliban, and the Quran, and accused them of promoting messages aligned with "infidels."

In his speech, Nadeem specifically targeted users who criticize the Taliban, particularly those who do so in the Pashto language, calling their actions un-Islamic and equating them with blasphemy. He emphasized that criticizing religious leaders or scholars goes against Islamic values.

This statement comes amid a broader crackdown on free speech in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has imposed extensive restrictions on citizens' ability to express their views, especially critical ones. Despite these restrictions, many Taliban officials, including Nadeem himself, actively use social media platforms like X.

Over the past three years, the Taliban has tightened control over public discourse, limiting freedom of expression while simultaneously utilizing social media for their own communication and propaganda.