Absolute Information Blackout
In April 2026, the Islamic Republic of Iran, adopting a strictly security-oriented approach, has suppressed the right to access information and freedom of expression in an unprecedented manner. According to a report by the monitoring organization NetBlocks on April 23, the nationwide internet shutdown in Iran has entered its “55th consecutive day.” The report emphasizes that after 1,296 hours, internet connectivity has plummeted to “2% of ordinary levels.” This absolute blackout has created a platform for implementing “security elimination” policies under a complete news silence.
Targeting Starlink and Institutionalizing “Self-Suppression” in Society
Security agencies are targeting tools for accessing the free internet, effectively treating the right to communicate with the outside world as an act of espionage. According to an ILNA news agency report on April 21, the Information Center of the Greater Tehran Law Enforcement Command announced the discovery and seizure of unauthorized “Starlink” receivers. In its communiqué, the police claimed:
“Investigations revealed that the company’s CEO had no knowledge of the suspect’s activities, and the suspect, by exploiting the company’s name, engaged in profit-seeking and maintained continuous communication with foreign entities and hostile networks… The police emphasize that a significant portion of espionage activities in Tehran are conducted using Starlink devices.”
At the conclusion of this announcement, the police requested citizens to “report any suspicious cases to the police and other national security agencies.” This public call is, in reality, an attempt to organize “citizen-on-citizen espionage.” Through this action, the regime has institutionalized an atmosphere of distrust and informants within society, using the people themselves as an instrument of suppression against one another to stifle any attempt to access the “free flow of information” at its inception.
Systematic Monitoring and Exploiting the Cover of “Sensitive Locations” for Physical Elimination
Alongside infrastructural blockades, the monitoring of content produced by citizens has intensified drastically. The Capital’s Police Information Center stated explicitly on April 19:
“Cyberspace platforms are under continuous monitoring and surveillance by the police, and any action against national security or the values of the Sacred Defense will be met with legal action with authority and decisiveness.”
These threats were accompanied by more dangerous details on April 20 (ILNA). The police warned citizens:
“In the current sensitive situation, even under a so-called ceasefire, sending any film, photo, or the location of sensitive sites and military and security forces to unauthorized networks and channels is considered an illegal act and a threat to the country’s security.”
The agency further emphasized that “identifying and dealing with these individuals is on the agenda of the police and other security agencies.” While international norms restrict photography of sensitive military centers, the Islamic Republic regime is exploiting this concept by arbitrarily extending it to all military sites, including destroyed or non-operational buildings. This “arbitrary generalization” serves as a lever of suppression that classifies any civic activity (such as documenting destruction) under the label of “espionage.” According to current judicial procedures, the attribution of this charge leads directly to “asset confiscation and the issuance of death sentences“; meaning the recording of a simple image could cost a citizen their life and property.
Military Courts: The Battlefield and the Weaponized Pen
Simultaneously with field suppression, the judicial structure has also officially changed its nature. Hojjat al-Islam Pourkhaqqan, Head of the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces, stated on April 22, addressing military judges:
“Our main battlefield is the military prosecutor’s offices and courts. Your weapon in this battle is the pen with which you fulfill your duty. During wartime, the sensitivity of our duties is doubled.”
He focused the organization’s activities on “issuing deterrent sentences for infiltrators and spies with the aim of preserving national security” and the “continuous presence of judges at checkpoints.” (ILNA, April 22). This rhetoric demonstrates that the courts are no longer institutions for the administration of justice, but “operational units” in the regime’s war footing against the people.
Legal Analysis and Violation of International Standards
- Violation of the Right to Access Information (Article 19, ICCPR): The 55-day internet blackout and the criminalization of Starlink are attempts to completely destroy freedom of expression.
- Violation of the Right to a Fair Trial (Article 14, ICCPR): When the “judge’s pen” is defined as a “weapon of battle,” fair trial loses all meaning.
- Institutionalizing Civil Espionage: The call for citizen informants is a violation of human dignity and an attempt to collapse social solidarity. The police call for citizens to report on one another (ILNA, April 21) constitutes a violation of privacy and creates an atmosphere of public intimidation.
Conclusion
The collective body of these reports indicates an “all-out war footing” against citizens. Converting communication technologies into “tools of espionage” and the judge’s bench into a “battlefield” signals the total collapse of legal standards and their replacement with military and security mandates. The international community must respond immediately to this 55-day blackout and the issuance of sentences under the guise of a “battle of the pen.”
