Human Rights Watch on March 6 urged authorities in Iran to lift restrictions on internet and communication services, citing concerns that civilians will be left unable to access potentially lifesaving information in the midst of the armed conflict with Israel and the US.

Tomiwa Ilori, senior technology researcher at Human Rights Watch, stated: "Shutting down the internet during times of crisis restricts access to lifesaving information, such as where strikes are taking place and how to safely access medical care. Internet shutdowns can also contribute to severe psychological harm on people during the conflict as they are unable to contact their loved ones."

Internet connectivity has been significantly disrupted since the beginning of the conflict, with Cloudfare Radar, a public tool and intelligence platform that provides real-time monitoring of internet activity, stating that net traffic in Iran dropped by around 98% on Feb. 28, the day the US-Israel bombing campaign began.

Back in early January, when widespread protests and severe government repression were intensifying, the Iranian regime had similarly restricted access to internet services, with an estimated 92 million citizens cut off—virtually the entire population. This pattern of blocking reliable access to the internet has been criticized by activists as a form of digital isolation, with similar incidents occurring in 2019 during protests and again in 2022 after anger erupted over the murder of Mahsa Amini.

The strategic reasoning driving the restrictive measures undertaken by the Iranian authorities can be essentially divided into two distinct objectives. The first is denying domestic activist groups the ability to organize effectively or establish communication with external allies. Secondly, the internet blackout functions as a mechanism of information controldesigned to prevent both local citizens and the international media from obtaining independent verification of the realities unfolding across the country. Limiting access to the internet makes collecting proper documentation of the commission of crimes against humanity a more challenging task, shielding perpetrators from scrutiny and depriving survivors of justice.

The Iranian regime has also resorted to manufacturing a discriminatory model known as the "tiered internet," which offers fast internet access to state bodies and trusted individuals, but affords relatively slow access to the common people, leading to a "digital caste system."

The denial of access to the internet during times of conflict is a violation of international human rights principles. Although governments may justify their actions by saying that it is necessary for national security, such measures must nonetheless satisfy the proportionality and military necessity threshold.

From JURIST, Maech 9. Used with permission.