{"id":3085,"date":"2021-07-15T17:16:38","date_gmt":"2021-07-15T17:16:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/?p=3085"},"modified":"2025-06-03T08:41:02","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T08:41:02","slug":"policy-monitor-june-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/2021\/07\/15\/policy-monitor-june-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Policy Monitor – June 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 18 June, Iran\u2019s presidential elections delivered a first round victory for Chief Justice Ebrahim Raisi, who won 72.4% of the vote according to Iran\u2019s Interior Ministry. This outcome was no surprise for observers, who warned of <\/span>unprecedented levels of election engineering<\/span><\/a>, including the disqualification of multiple high-profile challengers by the Guardian Council. Although these interventions achieved their intended objective, they also succeeded in pushing turnout down to its lowest ever levels: at just <\/span>48.8% turnout<\/span><\/a>, this presidential election marked the lowest level of participation in any presidential contest in the Islamic Republic\u2019s history.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prior to the elections, candidates took part in three televised debates, during which they maintained an <\/span>effective silence<\/span><\/a> on issues concerning Iran\u2019s internet, and digital rights. But we didn\u2019t really need any more help to understand where the new president-elect stands on these issues: Raisi has already expressed support for \u201c<\/span>layered filtering<\/span><\/a>\u201d policies that would further restrict free, universal access to information online. Furthermore, his role on the \u201c<\/span>death committee<\/span><\/a>\u201d that oversaw the mass executions of political prisoners in 1988 gives a strong indication as to his incoming government\u2019s stance on human rights.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Raisi\u2019s inauguration due to take place in August, it still remains to be seen who will take up posts in his cabinet \u2013 including the key role of ICT Minister. However, as we\u2019ve argued previously, his decision here is unlikely to disrupt Iran\u2019s current internet policy trajectory: many of the plans for the future of Iran\u2019s internet (and the National Information Network) have already been set by the Supreme Council for Cyberspace (SCC). These plans underpinned the Rouhani administration's internet policies, and will likely inform the Raisi administration\u2019s approach as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the elections were the biggest item on the news agenda in June, a number of other significant issues were advanced on Iran\u2019s internet policy-making agenda. These included the (brief) return of the \u201cUser Protection and Core Online Services\u201d Bill to Parliament, a short post-election internet shutdown in the city of Yasuj, as well as the SCC\u2019s first meeting in three months.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Supreme Council for Cyberspace Passes Two New Resolutions In First Meeting Since March\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

On <\/span>7 June<\/span><\/a> the Supreme Council for Cyberspace (SCC) held its first meeting since <\/span>March 2021<\/span><\/a>. The meeting was chaired by President Hassan Rouhani.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the meeting two resolutions were approved. The first was the \u201cProtection of Children and Teenagers in Cyberspace\u201d resolution, which was under review in the previous SCC meeting. The text of the resolution has not yet been published. According to the SCC\u2019s statement the resolution calls for \u201call platform and online service and content providers <\/span>to take action to protect data, and to classify and separate content and services specific to each age group\u201d over the course of a year. Ministries are also required to \u201cprovide unbiased information\u201d to the public about the platforms and content that comply with these requirements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The second resolution, also approved in the same session, is named \u201cThe Vision for Cyberspace on the Horizon of 2031\/2032\u201d. The text of this resolution has also not been published.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With President-Elect Ebrahim Raisi taking office this August, this could mark the final SCC meeting chaired by Rouhani. Islamic Republic\u2019s Supreme Leader may also use this opportunity to appoint an entirely new SCC in the coming months.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Internet Disruptions in the City of Yasuj Following Clashes During Local City Council Elections\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

On 20 June, mobile internet was cut off on Irancell and MCI for almost an entire day in <\/span>Yasuj<\/span><\/a>, the provincial capital of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province. The shutdown followed clashes between the local Tamoradi and Tirtaji tribes, which both had candidates standing in the city council elections. Gunshots <\/span>can be heard <\/span><\/a>in videos from the city circulating on social media.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Filterwatch\u2019s June Network Monitor<\/a> has more details on this outage, and other disruptions throughout June.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alarming \u201cUser Protection and Core Online Services\u201d Bill Returns to Parliament; Review Postponed To Late July\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

On <\/span>24 June<\/span><\/a> it was announced that the alarming \u201cUser Protection and Core Online Services\u201d (UPCOS) Bill had been placed on the parliamentary agenda for consideration, after a request from a number of MPs for the bill to be considered under Article 85 of the Iranian Constitution. Article 85 <\/span>allows<\/span><\/a> for a bill to be passed into law for a \u201ctrial period\u201d, via a parliamentary commission. Final approval will come from a vote in the Majles. The bill must still be approved by the Guardian Council.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The latest edition of the bill (available on a number if Iranian news agencies)\u00a0 is effectively an overhauled successor to the proposed \u201c<\/span>Managing Social Messaging Apps\u201d<\/span><\/a> (MSMA) Bill, which was first introduced in 2018 during the Tenth Parliament. This new UPCOS bill is a combination of the previous drafts of the MSMA bill, also incorporating a set of new articles expanding the scope of the bill beyond social media platforms and messaging apps, to encompass almost all online services and platforms. Some of the key articles of the UPCOS bill include:<\/span><\/p>\n