More than 50 Instagram Pages in Shahroud Blocked Under the Pretext of Fighting 'Immoral Content'

The police chief of Shahroud announced that 56 Instagram pages in this city have been blocked and their owners have been referred to judicial authorities. Alireza Shaeini claimed on Tuesday, May 15, that the blocked pages were seeking to 'promote criminal immoral and vulgar content' and that their owners were 'guided to adhere to ethics.' The police chief did not provide details about the nature of the activities of the blocked pages on the Instagram social network or how they were allegedly promoting 'criminal acts.' Officials of the Islamic Republic have introduced mandatory hijab and government prohibitions in the realm of individual and social freedoms, especially for women in Iran, as 'norms' and punish those who do not comply under the pretext of 'norm-breaking' or 'immoral and vulgar content.' Recently, the Cyber Center of the Zanjan Police Information Organization accused the operators of six Instagram pages active in women's beauty salons and bridal gown boutiques of 'publishing norm-breaking images' and referred them to judicial authorities. In recent months, dozens of Instagram pages have been blocked by Iranian government security agencies on similar charges, and their operators have been summoned under titles such as 'anti-cultural promoters.' Previously, an Islamic Republic police official announced the entry of 'public security police' into cyberspace 'in line with the implementation of the Noor plan.' Kiumars Azizi, the police chief of western Tehran province, on Monday, March 23, cited 'the publication of inappropriate and norm-breaking images' as the reason for blocking 21 popular pages in cyberspace and threatened users with consequences, claiming to monitor social networks and cyberspace 'continuously.' The crackdown by Islamic Republic officials on the enforcement of mandatory hijab in Iran has intensified following the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini while in custody of the morality police and the outbreak of nationwide protests for 'Women, Life, Freedom.' This government compulsion has been met with widespread criticism from human rights organizations. For instance, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in May issued a statement referring to the increasing repression of women and girls in Iran for refusing to comply with mandatory hijab, calling for more sanctions against Islamic Republic officials, including security officials. Operators of several Instagram beauty pages in Zanjan have been summoned; the crackdown on individual freedoms in Iran is intensifying. The blocking of 21 popular Instagram pages; restrictions against individual freedoms in Iran are being intensified. The Gilan Police Information Organization blocked several Instagram accounts under the title of 'norm-breaking activities.' Continued judicial actions against social media activists; a woman active on Instagram was arrested in Isfahan.