Seven Non-Profit Organizations Urge Rouhani to Challenge Telegram Filtering

Seven Iranian and international organizations active in the field of human rights and freedom of information have issued a statement urging Hassan Rouhani's government in Iran to challenge the judiciary's order to block the Telegram messaging app. These seven organizations have called on the Iranian government to ask the judiciary to annul this ruling and to end the widespread violation of freedom of expression in Iran. The Iran Human Rights Campaign and the Alliance for Iran are two Iranian groups that signed this statement. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Tor Project, Article 19, Access Now, and Benetech are also international organizations that have signed the statement, calling for an end to the censorship of messaging apps in Iran. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is an international non-profit organization founded in the United States. The Tor Project, which focuses on freedom of information for all, is a system used to keep users anonymous on the internet. Article 19 is a non-governmental organization established in 1987 in the UK, named after Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states: 'Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.' Access Now is also an international human rights organization that defends and promotes the digital rights of users at risk. Benetech is a non-profit organization active in applying technology to social and cultural issues. Telegram, with over 40 million users, is the most popular foreign messaging app in Iran, but a few weeks ago, the judiciary of the Islamic Republic issued an order to filter this messaging app and halt its related services in Iran. Hassan Rouhani's government announced that it opposed this action. In the statement published on the websites of the seven mentioned organizations on Friday, May 21, it is stated: 'In defense of primary rights, freedom of expression, and the right of the Iranian people to access information, we, the signatories of this statement, ask Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Attorney General of the country, to review the judiciary's order and the directive of a Tehran prosecutor to filter Telegram on the grounds that it is considered a threat to national security in Iran.' The statement adds: 'This ruling is contrary to international laws. We also ask Hassan Rouhani to speak out against the filtering of Telegram in practice and to challenge this judicial order. The Iranian judiciary must lift the filtering of Telegram throughout Iran.' Judiciary officials and several leaders of the Islamic Republic, including Ayatollah Khamenei, view Telegram and other messaging apps and social networks as tools for foreign influence and inciting the people. During the street protests in December, Telegram and several other messaging apps were filtered in Iran. The statement from these human rights and freedom of information groups states that 'blocking websites or applications is considered a severe action, akin to banning a newspaper from publication or revoking a television station's license. Therefore, it is likely to create disproportionate interference with freedom of expression and media freedom and should be closely monitored.' The statement further adds: 'Any filtering must at least be carried out within the framework of the law and be examined in court to determine whether restricting access to an entire virtual service network is necessary or in accordance with resolution A/HRC/RES/32/13 of the Human Rights Council regarding freedom of opinion and expression, which falls under the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights. This resolution was adopted by consensus among member states and firmly condemns actions that deliberately prevent or disrupt access to or distribution of online information that violates international human rights laws.' In another section, the statement from the seven groups writes that 'the Iranian government has strongly encouraged the public to use domestically produced alternatives to Telegram, such as Soroush, Gap, and IGap, which further erodes user privacy as it enables the government to monitor and censor content.' Islamic Republic officials report various statistics regarding the number of users leaving Telegram and the 'increase' in registrations for domestic messaging apps. A survey result from Radio Farda indicated that 90% of Iranian users still use Telegram. In the same context, officials claim that about two percent of Iranian users have left Telegram. Survey results from Radio Farda show that 90% of Iranian users still use Telegram. The publication of Rouhani's 'highly confidential' letter followed his criticism of the filtering of Telegram. Amoli Larijani considered the blocking of 'Telegram' as part of 'realizing the rights of the people' of Iran. A collective complaint from lawyers against the prosecutor who issued the order to block Telegram. The changing of the 'proxy' battlefield; war against the people in the streets of Iran. The crisis in Iran; the responsibility of the opposition and the possibility of radicalizing Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iranian crisis. Internet shutdown in Iran has exceeded 300 hours; reports of 'evidence' of the killing of injured patients under treatment. Accounts from three witnesses about the situation in Isfahan province; 'like war-torn areas.' The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iranian crisis. Trump emphasized 'stopping executions in Iran': we do not know what will happen in the future. Trump announced an agreement to hold a meeting about Greenland in Davos.