Protests in Iran to lift extensive internet filtering

Following a protest in Iran by a vigilante group opposing calls to lift internet restrictions, a prominent politician has gained support by calling for the right to free assembly for internet freedom advocates.

Many political activists, journalists, and others in Iran have taken to social media to support Javad Emam’s announcement that his party plans to hold a rally next week in support of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s promise to lift extensive internet filtering.

The demonstration was led by Hossein Allahkaram, leader of the shadowy ultra-hardline paramilitary group Ansar-e Hezbollah which since the 1990s has confronted and beaten dissidents.

Participants in the small yet vocal ultra-hardliner rally demanded that authorities not only maintain internet filtering but also restrict bandwidth allocated to Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram to prevent access even via anti-filtering software. These platforms are already blocked, and people use VPNs to secure access.

The veteran politician published an image of his official letter to the interior minister, Eskandar Momeni, on X Thursday. Since then, his announcement has widely been reported by the media in Tehran.

Iranian security forces typically suppress any "unauthorized" protest, even small ones, under the pretext of "violating public peace." Yet, media reports indicate that authorities did not interfere with the ultra-hardliner rally.