Iran's Parliament Asks Executive, Judiciary To Restrict Internet Access
180 members of the Iranian parliament have issued a statement asking the government and judiciary for measures to restrict peoples’ activities on the internet.
The statement, which was read out in the parliament on Wednesday, described the cyberspace in Iran as unbridled and urged the two other branches of the Islamic Republic not to wait for legislation to put limits on internet in the country.
The lawmakers said the cyber-sphere has provided the opportunity for a “relentless barrage of insults, lies, and slanders against the sanctities, beliefs, culture and social stability” of the country.
Parliament has been toying with a bill to limit the internet, titled “Legislation to Protect Cyberspace Users’ Rights,”but so far the conservative majority has failed to approve it.
The approval of the bill would systematically put broad restrictions on social messaging platforms and boost internet filtering in Iran.
According to IRNA, the parliament had a closed-door session Wednesday morning with officials of the intelligence ministry to examine security challenges of the cyberspace.
Iran has restricted access to the internet for two decades and popular social media platforms such as Facebook and You Tube for the past ten years. An overwhelming majority of Iranians routinely use circumvention software to go around government blockages.
