The Iranian Government has blocked the internet amid nationwide anti-government protests in an attempt to stop the flow of information and communication among amid the demonstration.
The internet shutdown came in action with the repulsive move of the Iranian government to raise fuel prices by 50%. People were oppressed with the years of political and economic instability and threats to human rights, which forced the public to take it to the streets to demand change. It is believed that more than 95% of the internet users are affected by the shutdown.
Hamrahe Aval, the Mobile Telecommunication Company of Iran, which stakes more than 50 million subscribers, had stopped working on Saturday morning in Tehran blocking internet and communication.
The internet shutdown was a result to curb the demonstration starting on November 16, following a day of protests. Iran has previously throttled and censored the internet, including blocking the popular app Telegram.
In Summer of 2016, the United Nations Human Rights Council released a non-binding resolution condemning intentional disruption of internet access by governments.The resolution reaffirmed that “the same rights people have offline must also be protected online”. Recent practice of the UN treaty-based bodies indicates growing interest in ensuring access to the Internet. In addition, Internet-related recommendations formulated under the Universal Periodic Review mechanism are as numerous as those related to the right to food and the right to water – both of which are well-established human rights
