Since 2000—in the midst of a media crackdown that has seen the judiciary close more
than 100 publications, inspiring widespread
self-censorship—the Islamic Republic of Iran
has installed one of the most extensive technical filtering systems in the world. Iranian
authorities have detained dozens of people for
publishing material online.
1 In addition, Iran
has moved to contain the Internet within heightened and more explicit regulation, accommodating aggressive online censorship policies
through a complex system of political networks
and their affiliated government institutions.
Background
Regulation of freedom of expression in Iran is
extensive and the parameters of prohibited conduct are vague and ambiguous, or simply undefined. It is prohibited to publish sensitive information and matters relating to atheism without prior
approval, and media cannot promote social discord or divisions, dissent against state interests,
insult Islam or public officials, or quote from
deviant parties or parties opposed to Islam. 2
Compared with the constitutionally mandated
state control of radio and television,
3
and the
repression against independent papers and
reformist voices in print media, the space initially
afforded to free expression online was a unique
phenomenon for Iran. However, after several
years of relative openness in Iranian cyberspace,
bloggers, journalists, and others began to be targeted, detained, and even tortured for their online
activities. And zealous new legislation places
sweeping controls over what people may post to
the Internet.
Internet in Iran
The Internet in Iran has experienced the most
explosive growth of the countries in the Middle
RESULTS AT A GLANCE
No evidence
Suspected
Selective
Substantial
Pervasive
Filtering
of filtering
filtering
filtering
filtering
filtering
Political
●
Social
●
Conflict/security
●
Internet tools
●
Other factors
Low
Medium
High
Not applicable
Transparency
●
Consistency
●
Iran
than 100 publications, inspiring widespread
self-censorship—the Islamic Republic of Iran
has installed one of the most extensive technical filtering systems in the world. Iranian
authorities have detained dozens of people for
publishing material online.
1 In addition, Iran
has moved to contain the Internet within heightened and more explicit regulation, accommodating aggressive online censorship policies
through a complex system of political networks
and their affiliated government institutions.
Background
Regulation of freedom of expression in Iran is
extensive and the parameters of prohibited conduct are vague and ambiguous, or simply undefined. It is prohibited to publish sensitive information and matters relating to atheism without prior
approval, and media cannot promote social discord or divisions, dissent against state interests,
insult Islam or public officials, or quote from
deviant parties or parties opposed to Islam. 2
Compared with the constitutionally mandated
state control of radio and television,
3
and the
repression against independent papers and
reformist voices in print media, the space initially
afforded to free expression online was a unique
phenomenon for Iran. However, after several
years of relative openness in Iranian cyberspace,
bloggers, journalists, and others began to be targeted, detained, and even tortured for their online
activities. And zealous new legislation places
sweeping controls over what people may post to
the Internet.
Internet in Iran
The Internet in Iran has experienced the most
explosive growth of the countries in the Middle
RESULTS AT A GLANCE
No evidence
Suspected
Selective
Substantial
Pervasive
Filtering
of filtering
filtering
filtering
filtering
filtering
Political
●
Social
●
Conflict/security
●
Internet tools
●
Other factors
Low
Medium
High
Not applicable
Transparency
●
Consistency
●
Iran