Internet Shutdowns

• Past

  Regional shutdown

  Balochistan

  Local authorities in Pakistan's Balochistan province ordered that mobile Internet and cellphone services in parts of the province be suspended from 14 to 17 July during the religious festival of Muharram. A spokesperson for the Balochistan Home Ministry said that the suspension will affect Quetta, Kachhi, Jhal Magsi, Jaffarabad, and Usta Muhammad. Similar directives have been issued in Pakistan's Punjab province, where mobile Internet services and popular social media services have been partially suspended.  

  Pakistan

  • Start 14 July 2024 00:00 UTC
  • End 17 July 2024 00:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 3 days
• Past

  Regional shutdown

  Punjab

  The Punjab provincial government has ordered mobile Internet and phone services to be suspended on 13 July from 15:00 to 23:00 local time in the areas of Lahore Airport, Walled City, Shadra, Barki/Hadyara, and Nawab Town. The order was made to control law and order in the province on the arrival of ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

  Pakistan

  • Start 13 July 2024 15:00 UTC
  • End 13 July 2024 23:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 8 hours
• Past

  Regional shutdown

  Mobile Internet

  Dhalai, Tripura

  There are reports that mobile Internet services have been suspended for 24 hours in Dhalai, Tripura. According to one report, Tripura home secretary PK Chakraborty released a notification under the provision of Section 52 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, to "prohibit SMS messages of all mobile service providers, mobile internet or data service of all mobile service providers from midnight of 12/07/2024 to till the next day of 13/07/2024 of 12.00 PM (midnight) throughout the Dhalai District." The notification was given to quell community tension following the death of a young boy.

  India

  • Start 12 July 2024 00:00 UTC
  • End 13 July 2024 00:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 1 day
• Past

  Regional shutdown

  Kurdistan

  Iraqi Kurdistan regional authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of  10 July 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown comes 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

  • Start 10 July 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 10 July 2024 05:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 2 hours
• Past

  Regional shutdown

  Kurdistan

  Iraqi Kurdistan regional authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of  7 July 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown comes 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

  • Start 7 July 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 7 July 2024 05:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 2 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of  2 July 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 16 this year, most of which were related to exams.

  Iraq

  • Start 2 July 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 2 July 2024 05:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 2 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  Mobile Data

  After President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani won re-election for a second term, protests erupted across Mauritania. While we have not yet seen an official statement requiring networks to shutdown, data shows that mobile Internet networks were disrupted beginning in the early hours of 2 July 2024. Media reports and commentary on social media all indicate various degrees of a loss of connectivity. This would unfortunately not be the first time the current government has shut down the Internet amidst protests. Back in June 2023, mobile Internet was shut down for most of a week during protests against the government. Internet services returned to normal on 24 July.

  Mauritania

  • Start 2 July 2024 00:00 UTC
  • End 24 July 2024 00:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 22 days
• Past

  National shutdown

  Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of  1 July 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 16 this year, most of which were related to exams.

  Iraq

  • Start 1 July 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 1 July 2024 05:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 2 hours

June 2024

• Past

  National shutdown

  Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of  30 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 16 this year, most of which were related to exams.

  Iraq

  • Start 30 June 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 30 June 2024 05:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 2 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of  29 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 16 this year, most of which were related to exams.

  Iraq

  • Start 29 June 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 29 June 2024 05:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 2 hours