ARTICLE 19 launches report on Iran’s November 2019 Internet shutdown
Human rights organisation ARTICLE 19 published a report titled ‘Tightening the Net 2020: After Blood and Shutdowns’ which unveiled how Iran’s government cut off Internet access for six days amidst nation-wide protests in November 2019, curbing access to information during a brutal crackdown that saw hundreds killed and thousands arrested. Among the key findings of the report is the persistent lack of clarity over who ordered the shutdown in 2019 as evident by ARTICLE 19’s mapping of the decision-making processes that surround Internet governance in Iran. The report also called upon the US government and the international community to help prevent further isolation for Iranians by encouraging US tech companies to remove blocks, whitelist services, and deliver secure hosting in Iran.