As protests continue over the death of a woman in police custody in Iran, access to Instagram and WhatsApp has been blocked.
Meanwhile, there have been major internet outages across the country, with cellphone services also disrupted.
Last week, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died after being arrested by the country's morality police for 'unsuitable attire' - a hijab she was perceived to be wearing improperly. The authorities deny any wrong-doing, claiming she suffered sudden heart failure. Since then, however, there has been a wave of protests across the country, with at least eight people reported to have been killed.
Twitter and Facebook have long been banned in Iran. However, Instagram and WhatsApp have now been restricted for all users registered with an Iranian, +98, phone number, across all major network operators. Meanwhile, mobile networks, including MCI, Rightel and Irancell, have been largely shut down. "Users have also reported the disconnection or severe slowing of internet service in multiple cities since the first disruption was registered on Friday 16 September 2022," says NetBlocks.
"The network disruptions are likely to severely limit the public’s ability to express political discontent and communicate freely."
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