Federation of Journalists: Internet Blockade in Iran Must End
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the Islamic Republic's efforts to cut off citizens' lines of communication and block the internet. The FIJ's Secretary General said that cutting off the internet is becoming a tool for governments to silence the media and the public.
Anthony Belanger, Secretary General of the International Federation of Journalists, called for the lifting of the internet blockade in Iran. The federation’s statement, released on Monday, November 18, stated: “The internet shutdown is an attempt to cut off communications, restrict the flow of news, and silence media outlets and reporters.”
This announcement condemns the restriction of citizens' fundamental right to free access to information.
Anthony Belanger, Secretary General of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), has announced that 30 countries have blocked access to the internet and shut down media outlets in 2019. He called this a sign of “a global trend of controlling citizen media and internet access,” and called on Iranian authorities to end the blockade of cyberspace and stop suppressing demonstrators and protesters.
The internet in Iran was shut down at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, November 15, after citizens protested against rising gasoline prices. It was announced on Sunday that the measure was taken by the National Security Council and would last only 24 hours. Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, Iran’s Minister of Communications, acknowledged that the internet shutdown had severely affected services and the people, but added that the National Security Council considers maintaining security to be its priority.
Azari Jahromi said that he himself is not allowed to use the internet and has spoken with those involved, including the Ministry of Interior, to ensure people have access and reconnect to the internet. Government spokesman Ali Rabiei announced on Monday, November 17, that the government is trying to restore the internet to normal by Tuesday.
The spokesperson for the parliamentary technology faction stated that many businesses in cyberspace have been closed due to the internet shutdown, which has fueled public dissatisfaction. Hamideh Zarabadi, a representative from Qazvin and Abeek, noted that the lack of internet access has made people angry and stressed, and has created a sense that the country is in chaos.
Source: DW
