National shutdown
Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 23 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 7 June 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days as part of its efforts to prevent cheating. In an open letter to the Prime Minister of Iraq, the #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams. The letter notes the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on the country, and their violation of human rights. Iraq ordered more than 40 Internet shutdowns last year and 14 this year, most of which were related to exams.
- Total Duration 2 hours
Iraq
- Population
- 45,074,049
Freedom House rates Internet freedom as Partly Free
Local impact
Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 23 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 7 June 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days as part of its efforts to prevent cheating. In an open letter to the Prime Minister of Iraq, the #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams. The letter notes the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on the country, and their violation of human rights. Iraq ordered more than 40 Internet shutdowns last year and 14 this year, most of which were related to exams.
Related documentation
A screenshot of an announcement on the Ministry of Communications website on 7 June 2024 regarding planned Internet shutdowns related to exam period. [caption id="attachment_18373" align="alignnone" width="400"]
A screenshot of an announcement on the Ministry of Communications website on 7 June 2024 regarding planned Internet shutdowns related to exam period.[/caption] Based on the exam schedule below, we except further disruptions daily until 3 July, except on 25 June. [caption id="attachment_18376" align="alignnone" width="700"]
Elementary Exams Scheduled in Iraq, 23 June to 3 July 2024[/caption]
Other supporting information
Cloudflare Radar, IODA, and Google Transparency Report recorded drops in Internet traffic and Google Search usage on 23 June 2024 from 3:00 UTC (6:00 local time) to 5:00 UTC (8:00 local time). These were similar to the drops from the previous series of shutdowns between 21 May and 13 June.
