Internet Blackout Exceeds 60-Hour Mark, a Tool for Concealing Islamic Republic’s Crimes Against Iranians

Internet blackout in Iran has exceeded the 60-hour mark, sealing confirmation of the Islamic Republic regime’s crimes against Iran and the Iranian people.

Concurrent with the release of multiple reports detailing the intensification of crackdowns on nationwide protests in Iran, the issue of widespread internet disruption has once again been highlighted as one of the primary tools for controlling and suppressing social discontent. In this regard, the international organization “NetBlocks,” which specializes in monitoring internet access restrictions worldwide, announced that the internet blackout in Iran has exceeded the 60-hour threshold; a situation that, according to this organization, constitutes a direct threat to the security, health, and lives of citizens.

Based on assessments by NetBlocks and other organizations monitoring digital rights, internet cuts or severe disruptions in Iran typically occur simultaneously with nationwide protests; a recurring pattern aimed at preventing information dissemination, disrupting communication among protesters, and limiting public access to independent news. This is while the internet is not merely a communication tool, but rather a critical infrastructure for access to medical services, banking, transportation, education, and even emergency calls.

Human rights experts warn that internet cuts during critical situations can have irreversible consequences; ranging from the concealment of violence and violations of citizen rights to increased danger for patients, the elderly, and businesses dependent on the online space. Recent years of experience have also shown that internet blackouts have not only failed to prevent the spread of protests, but have deepened the gap of distrust between the government and society.

At the international level, the United Nations and organizations defending freedom of expression have repeatedly emphasized that free access to the internet is an inseparable part of fundamental human rights. Nevertheless, the continued internet blackouts in Iran, particularly at sensitive political and social junctures, raises this serious question: have citizen security become victims of control policies?

Internet cut-offs, rather than being a technical decision, have become a political signal of how protests and demands are being confronted; a signal whose costs fall directly upon ordinary people.