Instagram and WhatsApp blocked in Iran following anti-headscarf protests

Demonstrations redoubled in Iran following the death on September 16 of the young Mahsa Amini (a 22-year-old anti-headscarf activist who had just been arrested by the Iranian Vice Police). The extent of the anger is such that the authorities decided a few days ago to put the country under glass by blocking almost all access to the internet. WhatsApp and Instagram are no longer accessible in Iran (Facebook and Twitter have already been inaccessible for years), and even a VPN cannot circumvent this block.

The closure of the Internet network was gradual: the cities of Tehran and Sanandaj were the first concerned (this is also where the most massive demonstrations were held) then the censorship of the Internet hit the Kurdistan region before extend to the whole country. The last major internet shutdown in Iran dates back to 2019, after already protest demonstrations, this time against rising fuel prices. The severe repression that followed claimed dozens of victims.