14.01.2026 12:26:00
Дата публикации
Several weeks ago, amid economic and social instability in Tehran and other major cities, large‑scale street protests began. Later, reports emerged of mass unrest in Mashhad and Kermanshah.
In early January, media reported local but severe restrictions on content and internet traffic across the country. On January 7, traffic restrictions reached 90%, and by the evening of January 8, monitoring services IODA, CloudFlare, and NetBlocks recorded a complete collapse of traffic — a full internet shutdown.
On the second day of total restrictions, reports appeared of blocked satellite internet traffic from Starlink.
Experts estimate that tens of thousands of Starlink terminals may be in Iran. This time, however, up to 80% of satellite traffic was blocked.
In a country of 90 million people, access was lost not only to information but also to online banking, social services, e‑commerce platforms, food and medicine delivery, educational portals, and other essential services.
Later it became known that even telephone calls and SMS services were barely functioning nationwide. Reports also indicated more than two thousand deaths among protesters, civilians, and security forces.
The Eurasian Digital Foundation reminds that internet shutdowns of any intensity do not ensure safety or order during emergencies.
On the contrary, information vacuums often lead to greater casualties and chaos among the population.
Moreover, according to NetBlocks, internet shutdowns cost Iran’s economy more than 37 million USD per day. Over six days, losses exceeded 224 million USD.
These tragic events in Iran highlight the importance of digital human rights, especially in times of instability and security threats.
Earlier, as part of a campaign against internet shutdowns in Kazakhstan, we submitted an appeal to the Constitutional Court regarding restrictions in January 2022. The appeal is still under review.
We will continue to seek recognition of internet access as a legal right in our country, free from arbitrary restrictions.
