Expert: Government-led Internet Shutdown and Censorship Constitutes a Violation of Human Rights
Iran is currently experiencing significant turmoil due to restrictions imposed on the internet, which have led to network blockages by hardline factions holding decision-making power. Analysts believe these restrictions have inflicted substantial financial losses on numerous Iranian businesses.
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Several reports indicate that Iranian President Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has not yet managed to overcome resistance from hardliners. The confrontation within the Supreme Council of Cyberspace continues between proponents and opponents of lifting the restrictions. Recently, the Iranian president described the ongoing internet blockade as “unacceptable” amidst growing public discontent.
Mohammad Abou El-Nour, an expert in Iranian affairs, stated that Iranian authorities have blocked all foreign communication platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, Instagram, and WhatsApp. These measures intensified after the death of Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini at the hands of the police in Tehran for not wearing a hijab, an event that sparked the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests.
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The expert added that Iranians are forced to purchase software to bypass these restrictions from local websites supported by security agencies, generating financial gains amounting to millions of dollars. Approximately 83% of the country’s internet users rely on such tools to circumvent censorship. These plans and laws pursued by the Iranian regime, he argued, aim to impose further restrictions on society and dismantle the remaining digital networks.
He noted that the United Nations has explicitly classified the government-led internet shutdown and censorship as a violation of human rights. Cutting off internet access is part of a long list of rights violations perpetrated by the Iranian regime both domestically and abroad.
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In a joint statement, Amnesty International and several freedom of expression organizations, including Access Now, Article 19, and Mian Group, previously condemned these actions. They asserted that internet shutdowns appear to be used by authorities as a means to conceal human rights violations and potential crimes, such as extrajudicial executions.
