Iran enters its second week without internet access as the victims of the repression multiply

Iran is experiencing 14 consecutive days of total internet blackout following the massive protests that began at the end of December and intensified at the beginning of January. The authorities imposed the digital blockade on January 8, with the stated aim of curbing the flow of information and hindering the coordination of protesters, as well as reducing the international visibility of state repression. Organizations monitoring online connectivity have confirmed that the majority of the country still lacks access to the global network, maintaining extremely limited communications. Only a small number of users have managed to connect intermittently to external services through tunnels or restricted connections, while most of the population can only use a local intranet controlled by the regime.

This widespread blackout has had a strong economic and social impact. Merchants and small businesses that depended on digital platforms and social networks have suffered significant losses in their income, and workers in informal sectors report a drastic drop in economic activity.

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The blockage has also affected payment systems and basic communications, such as international messaging and messaging services, which remain out of service in many areas. The complete restoration of the internet still has no clear date, and government officials have acknowledged the lack of certainty about when global access will be restored. Amidst the lack of verifiable data, the regime disseminated an official report claiming that 3,117 people died during the protests, including members of the security forces and civilians. However, human rights organizations and independent sources question these figures, noting that the majority of deaths are due to the use of lethal force by the authorities and that the real number of victims could be considerably higher. The prolonged digital disconnection has hindered independent fact-checking on the ground and has generated international concern for transparency and the protection of human rights in the country.