Internet Shutdowns

• Past

  National shutdown

  At the request of the Syrian Ministry of Education, the Internet in Syria was suspended on the morning of 6 June 2024, between 6:00 and 10:30 local time (+3 UTC) ahead of the second day of high school exams. According to Syrian Telecom, these shutdowns will occur daily through 13 June. This year, the Internet shutdown schedule is accompanied by a mobile telecommunication shutdown schedule. For this day, the mobile telecommunications were shut off between 8:00 and 9:45 local time (+3 UTC). The #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged Syrian and other authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams, noting the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on countries, and their violation of human rights. Syria ordered 11 Internet shutdowns in 2023, all related to exams.

  Syria

  • Start 6 June 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 6 June 2024 07:30 UTC
  • Total Duration 4 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 5 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown is the third this week and follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 19 May 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days in May and June 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, most of which were related to exams.

  Iraq

  • Start 5 June 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 5 June 2024 05:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 2 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  At the request of the Syrian Ministry of Education, the Internet in Syria was suspended on the morning of 5 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:45 local time (+3 UTC) ahead of the second day of high school exams. According to Syrian Telecom, these shutdowns will occur daily through 13 June. This year, the Internet shutdown schedule is accompanied by a mobile telecommunication shutdown schedule. For this day, the mobile telecommunications were not shut off. The #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged Syrian and other authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams, noting the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on countries, and their violation of human rights. Syria ordered 11 Internet shutdowns in 2023, all related to exams.

  Syria

  • Start 5 June 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 5 June 2024 05:45 UTC
  • Total Duration 2 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  At the request of the Syrian Ministry of Education, the Internet in Syria was suspended on the morning of 4 June 2024, between 6:00 and 9:30 local time (+3 UTC) ahead of the second day of high school exams. According to Syrian Telecom, these shutdowns will occur daily through 13 June. This year, the Internet shutdown schedule is accompanied by a mobile telecommunication shutdown schedule. For this day, the mobile telecommunications were shut off between 8:00 and 8:45 local time (+3 UTC). The #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged Syrian and other authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams, noting the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on countries, and their violation of human rights. Syria ordered 11 Internet shutdowns in 2023, all related to exams.

  Syria

  • Start 4 June 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 4 June 2024 06:30 UTC
  • Total Duration 3 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  At the request of the Syrian Ministry of Education, the Internet in Syria was suspended on the morning of 3 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:30 local time (+3 UTC) ahead of the second day of high school exams. According to Syrian Telecom, these shutdowns will occur daily through 13 June. This year, the Internet shutdown schedule is accompanied by a mobile telecommunication shutdown schedule. For this day, the mobile telecommunications were not shut off. The #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged Syrian and other authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams, noting the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on countries, and their violation of human rights. Syria ordered 11 Internet shutdowns in 2023, all related to exams.

  Syria

  • Start 3 June 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 3 June 2024 05:30 UTC
  • Total Duration 2 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 3 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown is the third this week and follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 19 May 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days in May and June 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, most of which were related to exams.

  Iraq

  • Start 3 June 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 3 June 2024 05:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 2 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  At the request of the Syrian Ministry of Education, the Internet in Syria was suspended on the morning of 2 June 2024, between 6:00 and 11:00 local time (+3 UTC) ahead of the second day of high school exams. According to Syrian Telecom, these shutdowns will occur daily through 13 June. This year, the Internet shutdown schedule is accompanied by a mobile telecommunication shutdown schedule. For this day, the mobile telecommunications were shut off 8:00 and 9:30 local time (+3 UTC) . The #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged Syrian and other authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams, noting the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on countries, and their violation of human rights. Syria ordered 11 Internet shutdowns in 2023, all related to exams.

  Syria

  • Start 2 June 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 2 June 2024 08:00 UTC
  • Total Duration 5 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  At the request of the Syrian Ministry of Education, the Internet in Syria was suspended on the morning of 1 June 2024, between 6:00 and 9:15 local time (+3 UTC) ahead of the second day of high school exams. According to Syrian Telecom, these shutdowns will occur daily through 13 June. This year, the Internet shutdown schedule is accompanied by a mobile telecommunication shutdown schedule. For this day, the mobile telecommunications were not shut off. The #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged Syrian and other authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams, noting the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on countries, and their violation of human rights. Syria ordered 11 Internet shutdowns in 2023, all related to exams.

  Syria

  • Start 1 June 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 1 June 2024 06:15 UTC
  • Total Duration 3 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 1 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown is the third this week and follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 19 May 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days in May and June 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, most of which were related to exams.

  Iraq

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

May 2024

• Past

  National shutdown

  At the request of the Syrian Ministry of Education, the Internet in Syria was suspended on the morning of 30 May 2024, between 6:00 and 9:30 local time (+3 UTC) ahead of the second day of high school exams. According to Syrian Telecom, these shutdowns will occur daily through 13 June. This year, the Internet shutdown schedule is accompanied by a mobile telecommunication shutdown schedule. For this day, the mobile telecommunications were shut off between 8:00 and 8:45 local time (+3 UTC). The #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged Syrian and other authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams, noting the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on countries, and their violation of human rights. Syria ordered 11 Internet shutdowns in 2023, all related to exams.

  Syria

  • Start 30 May 2024 03:00 UTC
  • End 30 May 2024 06:30 UTC
  • Total Duration 3 hours