On Wednesday, October 2, at 5 PM local time – just a few hours after the authorities blocked Facebook, Whatsapp, and Twitter – Iraqi citizens experienced an internet shutdown.
While the internet remained active in Iraqi Kurdistan, reports say that the authorities in Baghdad asked the Kurdish government to shut the internet down too.
The Iraqi government shut down the internet during the multi-day protests over better living conditions, an increase in employment opportunities, and an end to corruption. On October 1, a major demonstration took place in Baghdad and other cities.
The protests are being suppressed by excessive police violence. Reuters, citing medical and police sources, reports that 18 people have died since the protests began – 11 of whom were killed on Wednesday night alone.
SMEX and the Iraqi Network for Social Media (INSM) urge the government to respect citizens’ and internet users’ rights by restoring the internet in Iraq and refraining from shutting the internet down in Kurdistan.
Sign this petition to call for an end to the internet shutdown, as it threatens Iraqis’ safety and access to emergency services, especially during protests. The internet shutdown also inhibits free expression and allows government forces to commit human rights violations without evidence or recordings against them.
