On May 19, three protesters, Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaqoubi, who were accused of killing a police officer and two members of the paramilitary Basij group in Isfahan during the recent protests were executed. Just before and after the executions took place, a number of protests took place across the country, especially in Isfahan province.
On May 18 at 6am UTC (9.30 am local time), heavy disruptions were observed in Isfahan province.
According to IODA data in May 2023, shows a certain model. Internet connectivity was disrupted during certain hours of the day (10 pm to 6 am UTC; 1:30 am to 9:30 am Tehran time).
According to IODA data in Mayon May 2023, shows a certain model. Internet connectivity was disruptedconnection interrupted during certain hours of the day (10 pm to 6 am UTC; 1:30 am to 9:30 am Tehran time).
We also saw major internet distributions between May 18 and May 25 (from 9am to 9.50 am UTC time or 12:30 to 13:20 local time), as mentioned above, this was before and after the executions of the three proteststors took place.
Also, another disruption took place on May 25. It mainly affected the provinces of Kohkilouyeh and Boyerhahmand and Yazd on the following internet service providers: Maxnet, Respina, and Farhoosh.
Disruptions in Yazd Province: Worst Disruptions in the Country
Yazd province in central the south of Iran, experienced major internet disruptions in May. According to IODA data, the province experienced a near total shutdown. Sources inside the country who spoke to Filterwach reported that their internet connectivity was downgraded to 2G during most of the month.
During May we also saw several calls to protest in Yazd in relation to the recent executions and the death penalty, and delays over wage payments.
Sistan and Baluchestan province in southeast Iran which was one of the most active regions protesting during the woman, life, freedom movement, yet again faced several major disruptions this 2023.
According to IODA data on 5, 8, and 26 of May, we observed major disruptions where almost no connectivity could be established.
During the past few months, onFridays, especially around the timing of Friday prayers and protests happening at the same time in Sistan and Baluchestan, the province has been experiencing internet disruptions at the same time.
This month, on Fridays May 5 and 26 Friday, the day of Friday prayer. At least, during the last 8 months, the internet is in near-total-shutdown condition during Fridays, in the region.
According to state media, on May 8, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have killed members of a “terrorist group” in Sistan and Baluchestan province. Also, one of the authorities of the province, told the media, some villages in Dashtyari region lost their connections to the outside world for more than 14 days, due to a flood.
Other notable disruptions
Khuzestan province faced major internet disruptions. According to IODA data these disruptions reached and near total shutdown levels on May 18, the day before executions.
On May 5, as well as in Sistan and Baluchestan, we also observed severe internet disruptions in Alborzdisruptions Alborz, Golestan, Isfahan, and Qom provinces .
On May 10, according to IODA, Fars, Isfahan, Alborz and Mazandaran provinces experienced internet disruptions.
On May 15, five provinces – Bushehr, Khuzestan, Hormozgan, Zanjan and Alborz experienced near-total shutdown
Between May 17-19, we observed internet disruptions in 5 provinces: Qom, Kordestan, North Khorasan, and Sistan and Baluchestan.
On May 22, we observed internet disruptions in 5 provinces: Khuzestan, Hormozgan, Alborz, Khorasan Razavi and Isfahan.
