The Digital Iron Curtain; A Prelude to Catastrophe
As of today, March 13, 2026, the nationwide internet blackout in Iran has exceeded 13 days. This marks the second-longest shutdown in Iran’s history (following the January 2026 protests). Based on the experience of recent bloody crackdowns, an “absolute information blackout” in the security lexicon of the Islamic Republic has consistently served as a strategic prerequisite for creating a safe environment to commit large-scale massacres. This communication blockade, coupled with explicit threats from high-ranking officials, indicates deliberate preparation for a new political massacre under the guise of “war conditions” in the event of any protests.
Evidence of Criminal Intent: Final Warnings and Execution Orders
Statements from officials—for which audio and visual records exist as evidence of human rights violations—demonstrate an organized will for lethal suppression:
- The “Trigger-Happy” Order: Ahmadreza Radan, Commander of the Law Enforcement Force (FARAJA), stated on March 10: “We will treat those who take to the streets following the enemy’s call as the enemy itself.” Notably, on January 7, 2026, he used the phrase “trigger-happy” (“If people take to the streets, security forces are trigger-happy”); precisely one day later, the massacre of thousands of innocent protesters began in the streets of Iran.
- “Strangling in Place”: Mohammad Javad Larijani explicitly declared: “We must not leave any street, any alley, or any neighborhood empty [of repressive forces] until the end of the war and after the war; the slightest movement must be strangled in place.”
- Final Warning in Time of War: Amoli Larijani used the keyword “Etmam-e Hojjat” (Final Warning), announcing that in times of war, no opportunity to protest will be granted to anyone within the country.
Judicial War Footing and Violation of Due Process
Reports from the state-run Mehr News Agency on March 8 and 9, 2026, reveal extraordinary movements within the judiciary. The emergency meeting of the Council of Deputies of the Prosecutor General’s Office, chaired by Mohammad Movahedi-Azad, coincided with unannounced field inspections by the Tehran Prosecutor (Ali Salehi) and senior judicial deputies of the 36 judicial complexes in Greater Tehran. This signifies the activation of “extraordinary proceedings under war conditions.” This judicial mobilization effectively nullifies the right to defense and fair trial, transforming the judiciary into a logistical wing for the mass killing of dissidents and any potential protesters.
Legal Analysis: Structural Continuity of Repression under the New Leadership
The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Leader of the regime is a clear signal to the international community: The continuity and intensification of the policy of repression. From a human rights perspective, the appointment of an individual who has previously managed the security apparatus and the suppression of past uprisings from the shadows means that the machinery of execution, torture, and killing will continue with the same brutality seen during his father’s era. This transition of power is not a political change but a structural consolidation that assures perpetrators of crimes against humanity that they will not be held accountable. In fact, this appointment formally institutionalizes “Impunity” within the power structure to guarantee the loyalty of the repressive forces.
Appeal for Urgent Action
We call upon the UN Special Rapporteur, Ms. Mai Sato, all international bodies, and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of democratic nations to:
- Condemn the Internet blackout as a tool for preparing a mass killing and apply immediate diplomatic pressure to restore communications.
- Issue a warning regarding a looming human rights catastrophe based on existing evidence and explicit threats (such as Radan’s “trigger-happy” order). These intentions for the systematic violation of the “Right to Life” and “Civil Rights” must be reflected in official statements. Furthermore, warn officials of the judicial consequences under the principle of Universal Jurisdiction and take immediate action upon any further evidence of state violence.
- Member states, in accordance with their obligations under international conventions, must warn Iranian authorities that any armed action against civilians under the cover of a “war state” constitutes a war crime and will be subject to prosecution in international courts.
The international community bears a moral, humanitarian, and legal responsibility for the lives of millions of people trapped behind the walls of the internet blackout under direct repressive threats. Preventive international action is the only way to avert an imminent mass killing of dissidents and protesters in near future.
