Parliament Members Disagree on ‘Safeguard Bill’; Sedieh Badri: It’s ‘Swinging an Axe at Public Trust’
A group of Iranian parliament members sent a letter to the parliament’s leadership on Wednesday, the 4th of Esfand, requesting the return of the ‘bill for safeguarding users in cyberspace’ to the parliament’s open session.
One day earlier, members of the joint committee approved the general provisions of Iran’s internet restriction bill, known as the ‘bill for safeguarding cyberspace,’ in less than ten minutes with 18 votes in favor and one vote against. This action has sparked widespread reactions from social media users and intensified criticism of the Islamic Republic authorities’ performance.
The examination of this bill was referred to the joint committee based on Article 85 of the Islamic Republic’s constitution, which allows parliament to refer ‘the authority to enact certain laws’ to internal committees in urgent matters. Laws passed in these committees can become permanent laws after limited implementation.
Jalal Rashidi Kouchi, the representative from Marvdasht and the only committee member who voted against it, announced in a Twitter post that over 100 parliament members have requested the bill’s return for examination in an open session.
Sedieh Badri, the representative from Ardabil, criticized the referral of this bill to the joint committee, saying that ‘parliament has 290 representatives, not 18.’ She also described the approval of the safeguard bill as ‘like swinging an axe at social capital and public trust.’
Ruhollah Hazratpur, the representative from Urmia, also rejected the bill in an interview with ILNA and said: ‘We are seeking to bring the bill back to the parliament’s open session and reject it.’ According to Hazratpur, ‘governments cannot stand against the progress and technology of societies.’
However, committee members believe that this letter will have no effect on the process. Vis Karami, secretary of the joint committee for the safeguard bill, says that ‘ultimately, it is the committee that decides on its details and general provisions.’
A decision that emphasizes that from now on there should be oversight of the cyberspace, a space that according to Ali Khamenei, leader of the Islamic Republic, is ‘chaotic’ and should be ‘organized.’
Following the approval of the general provisions of Iran’s internet restriction bill, hashtags such as ‘#no_to_safeguard_bill’ and ‘#i_oppose_the_safeguard_bill’ were welcomed by users on social media in opposition to the bill, and some users described the implementation of this bill as transforming Iran into North Korea.
Although supporters of the bill believe that organizing online businesses can prevent theft and misuse by internet traders in cyberspace, opponents over the past few days, referring to the events of November 2019, the killing of people, and the downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight 752, point out that the Islamic Republic’s record shows that the approval of bills such as ‘safeguarding users’ is solely aimed at spreading censorship and increasing control over communications.
Source: Voice of America
