Regional shutdown
Jammu and Kashmir
Internet services were suspended in the Shopian district on 28 April 2020.
It is believed to be imposed under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code, which allows the government to impose curfews and other restrictions to maintain public order.
Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country or other countries.
- Total Duration 2 days
India
- Population
- 1,463,865,525
Freedom House rates Internet freedom as Partly Free
Local impact
Internet services were suspended in the Shopian district on 28 April 2020.
It is believed to be imposed under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code, which allows the government to impose curfews and other restrictions to maintain public order.
Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country or other countries.
Related documentation
In 2020, the Home Department of Jammu and Kashmir issued Government Order No. 36(TSTS) of 2020, Government Order No. 37(TSTS) of 2020 and Government Order No. 38(TSTS) of 2020. This directive mandated the continuation of mobile data throttling to 2G speeds and strictly enforced the "whitelist" of approved websites while maintaining the total ban on social media platforms.
Other supporting information
It’s difficult to measure the effect of local/regional Internet shutdowns as most measurements are done at a country level. Learn more
Social media
38(TSTS)of2020 37(TSTS)of2020 36(TSTS)of2020Govt. imposed Internet Shutdown in Shopian District of South #Kashmir on 21st and 22nd April after an encounter between armed forces and militants in Melhora Village.#KeepItOn pic.twitter.com/wd529VVcnx — Digital Rights Kashmir (@DigitalRightsKS) April 28, 2020