Reporters Without Borders Condemns 'Intensification of Internet Censorship' in Iran

Reporters Without Borders issued a statement condemning what it calls the 'intensification of censorship on the internet' and the 'blocking of mobile applications in Iran,' referencing a recent order from the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran to 'accelerate the establishment of a national internet.' The organization noted that since the inauguration of President Hassan Rouhani in August 2013, 'the manner of controlling the internet in Iran has become a serious debate at the top of the government, but supervision and control over the internet is noticeably more intense than during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency.' The statement also mentioned decrees issued by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which extended the mission of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace for four years and appointed its members. Khamenei's decree emphasized the 'sanitization and comprehensive security of the country's cyberspace and the protection of the privacy of individuals, as well as effective confrontation against foreign infiltration and encroachment in this area,' and he called for the acceleration of the establishment of a 'national internet,' which he termed a 'priority' for the eleventh government. Reporters Without Borders stressed that 'the national information network or halal internet does not seem to have been removed from the system's agenda.' According to the organization's statement, 'smart filtering' refers to 'selective and controlled access to the internet, especially in social networks and applications.' The statement further emphasized that 'the justification for censorship on the internet in Iran is carried out under the pretext of protecting citizens and against immoral content.' Reporters Without Borders reported that 'censorship has extended to political, religious websites, and content related to fundamental rights, especially women's rights.' However, the organization noted that today in Iran, access to so-called 'immoral' sites is easier than to informational sites. The statement concluded that since August 2013, when Hassan Rouhani's government came to power, 'nearly one hundred citizen bloggers have been arrested, and many of them have been sentenced to heavy prison terms.' Reporters Without Borders attributed most of these arrests to the 'Intelligence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.'