Internet Shutdowns

Authorities shut down the Internet throughout Kurdish-majority cities and towns in Iran’s western provinces following further anti-government protests. The shutdown lasted 22 hours.

Iranians have faced a wave of Internet disruptions, service blocking and total shutdowns since September 2022, following the death of a young woman in police custody which sparked protests across the country. 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 in other countries.