STORIES

BROKEN SILENCE

Iran

Iran's authoritarian regime has engaged in a relentless battle to control the flow of information within the country. Despite strict censorship laws and government efforts to block popular websites and social media platforms, millions of Iranians remain connected to the global digital landscape. The Iranian government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have implemented a range of tactics to restrict online freedom. These include blocking social media platforms, such as Facebook and X (Twitter), and popular websites, such as Blogger, Wikipedia, and YouTube. Additionally, the 2009 Access to Information Law grants the government broad powers to censor information, further limiting online freedom.

However, these restrictions have proven largely ineffective. Young Iranians have become adept at using proxies and VPNs to bypass censorship and access blocked content. This has allowed them to connect with the global community and participate in online activism. Social media platforms, particularly X (Twitter) and Instagram, have played a crucial role in mobilizing the Iranian opposition. These platforms have enabled individuals inside and outside of Iran to unite and advocate for freedom and human rights. The Iranian government has been unable to fully suppress the use of social media, which has become a powerful tool for dissent and resistance. Social media has emerged as a vital space for Iranian citizens to exercise their right to freedom of expression and association. It provides a platform for individuals to share information, organize protests, and raise awareness about human rights abuses. Social media has also played a crucial role in documenting and exposing government crackdowns and censorship efforts.

Social media has become an indispensable tool for Iranian citizens in their struggle for freedom and democracy. Despite the government's best efforts to control the digital landscape, Iranians continue to find ways to connect, organize, and resist. The future of Iran's digital landscape will depend on the ongoing battle between the government and its citizens for control over the flow of information.

Mohammad, a 28-year-old Iranian social media activist on X (Twitter), was initially a casual user, sharing daily life photos. However, his life changed dramatically after the Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down by the Iranian government in January 2020. Shocked and angered, he began using X (Twitter) to advocate for the victims and became increasingly involved in sharing information about the situation in Iran. Mohammed: “I wasn't that active on social media and just posting daily life pictures and tweets until 8 January 2020, when I heard that the Ukrainian airline 752 was shot down by the Iranian government. I was in shock for days; even I tried to go out and participate in a protest about that, but it wasn't enough for me; that is why as soon as I got back home, I started tweeting about it and wanted to be the voice of innocents who were killed in that plane. After that, I got more involved in sharing about what's happening in Iran and became a social media activist. After all these years, I'm trying to fight for freedom and I won't stop until we overthrow this regime.”

Parinaz, a 32-year-old chef from northern Iran, became a vocal advocate for her country during the 2019 protests. Witnessing the regime's brutal crackdown, which claimed over 1500 lives, she resolved to use social media to amplify Iranian voices and expose the regime's human rights abuses. Today, Parinaz continues her activism, she believes that her efforts, along with those of countless others, are making a difference in raising awareness of the Iranian people's struggle. Parinaz: “It all started back in 2019 protests when Islamic regime killed more than 1500 people and no one outside Iran heard our voice, back then I decided to do my best whether it's on X (Twitter) or Instagram or anywhere else I will be the voice of Iranians and share all the crimes, humans’ right violations and discriminations that is happening to people in other countries that maybe they could help us in a way. Now, these, I'm seeing it's working; people worldwide are hearing us.”

Shabnam, a 27-year-old photographer, is among the many Iranians who have taken to X (Twitter) to mourn Mahsa Amini and denounce the regime's oppressive policies. Witnessing years of systemic discrimination and violence against women, Shabnam has become a vocal advocate for change. She actively participates in protests and uses social media to expose the regime's crimes and call for freedom. Shabnam: “For years, they tried to silence the women in Iran; they did whatever they wanted to, sentencing to jail, humiliating, and now killing women over hijab. I can't stay quiet and do anything anymore; I'm tweeting about all the crimes of the Islamic regime. I hope we see them gone forever and feel the taste of freedom again.”

Marziye, a 35-year-old phycologist, has been a dedicated advocate for women's rights in Iran, using X (Twitter) as a platform to share her opinions and raise awareness. Years of suppression and discrimination have fueled her activism, and she believes that social media has played a crucial role in empowering Iranian women and promoting change. Marziye points to the recent surge in support for women's rights in Iran as evidence of the platform's impact. Marziye: “I've been on X (Twitter) for years and tweeting mostly about women's rights issues in Iran. For decades we were suppressed and treated like second-hand citizens; Twitter is a platform where we can share our opinions and raise awareness for women's rights, and it helped a lot too. Nowadays, you can see we have achieved so many things and changed the opinion of people about this important issue in Iran and that's because social media that helped Iranians to get more educated. I think it's an essential thing that we are doing.”

Ali, a 29-year-old car dealer, has been a vocal critic of the Iranian regime, using social media to raise awareness about human rights abuses. His activism began with a campaign to save Navid Afkari from execution, though the campaign ultimately failed. Undeterred, Ali has continued to use social media to highlight the regime's atrocities and call for change. He believes that social media is essential for connecting Iranians and building a movement for change. Ali: “I started using my social media accounts to raise my voice when the Islamic regime wanted to execute Navid Afkari; we started a campaign to stop the execution, but we couldn't succeed even though many Iranians joined the movement. Since then, many things have happened in Iran, and I didn't stop talking about them on social media, social media, is our primary source of connection between Iranians.”

Abbas, a 24-year-old university student, is nonstop on social medias to share information about the situation in Iran. He believes it's crucial for everyone to be a voice for oppressed people and to expose the regime's crimes. Frustrated by years of inaction, Abbas sees social media as the only way to express his dissent and demand change. Abbas: “I'm on Twitter and Instagram sharing what is happing inside Iran almost all the time. I'm doing this because, for years, we have witnessed the crimes of the Islamic Regime, and I couldn't do anything except talk about this on social media. This is the only way to show that we are not happy with this regime and want them gone.”

Puya, a 19-year-old university student, has been using social media to advocate for the victims of the Iranian regime. Inspired by the tragic deaths of countless innocent Iranians, Puya believes it's crucial to use social media to amplify their voices, share their stories, and seek international support. He vows to continue his activism until Iran is free from the oppressive rule of the Islamic regime. Puya: “It doesn't matter when and why I started using social media to raise awareness; the only thing is a matter that with the death of many innocent Iranians, we use social media to be their voice, share their stories and ask for help and support from people outside Iran to put pressure on their governments to stop being silent about the Islamic Regime crimes. I won't stop until I see the day that we are free from these tyrants.”

Yasmin, a 24-year-old influencer with a large following on Instagram and TikTok, was initially hesitant to address women's rights issues due to fear of government retribution. However, Mahsa Amini's tragic death ignited her passion for activism. Filled with anger and a desire for change, Yasmin began using her platforms to advocate for Mahsa Amini and the Iranian people. Her influence has inspired others to join the fight. Yasmin: “I have so many followers on my social media and was posting about my life. I did want to talk about women's rights, I was scared that the government was going to arrest me for that; until Mahsa Amini's death, everything changed for me; I was full of anger and didn't want to be silent anymore, I wanted to get our country back from mullahs and return to the path that was going before 1979. That is why I started to talk about women rights on my platforms.”

Javad, a 32-year-old artist, has been a vocal critic of the Iranian regime for years, using social media to raise awareness about human rights abuses and social injustices. His activism began in 2009, and he has consistently used online platforms to challenge the regime's narrative and call for change. Javad believes that social media is essential for amplifying Iranian voices and awakening those who remain unaware of the regime's atrocities. He views the growing global attention to the Iranian people's struggle as a significant milestone and a source of hope for the future. Javad: “It was back in 2009 when I started using social media to raise my voice against the Islamic Regime; from then, I never stopped writing about social issues, human rights violations, and crimes that are happening in Iran. In my opinion, we must use these platforms to raise our voices and wake up those, whether our people or other governments, who still believe that the Islamic Regime is our best option to be in power. At this point that finally all the people around the world hear us, I think we issued a milestone for all of us trying to raise awareness for years, and I'm pleased about it.”

Reza, a 17-year-old student, believes that social media is empowering the younger generation in Iran to express themselves and fight for their beliefs. He argues that the platform has played a crucial role in uniting the Iranian people against the oppressive regime, which has long sought to suppress dissent and deny basic human rights. Reza emphasizes that the current past years protests, fueled by years of frustration and anger, are a direct result of the power of social media to connect people and amplify their voices. Reza: “Social media is playing an important role for the young generation in Iran, not just posting about daily life, but also a tool to express ourselves and fight for what we believe in. For many years the Islamic regime has been trying to suppress us, they think gays should be killed, women should wear hijabs, and they don’t believe in any human rights. All the anger has been collected for all the rights we missed in these 43 years, and now it has come to the point that everyone is fighting for their freedom. It’s all because of the power of social media.”

Amir, a 25-year-old salesperson, was initially hesitant to use social media but was compelled to speak out after the tragic death of Mahsa Amini. The regime's crackdown on women's rights, he believes, is a blatant violation of human rights. Inspired by the courage of countless others, Amir is determined to use social media to amplify Iranian voices and demand justice for all those who have been silenced by the regime. Amir: “I wasn't active on social media since I heard Morality Police killed a girl over her hijab. I couldn't stay silent; all the people have their rights, which was unacceptable. They killed so many of us through decades of brutality, and this time they can't silence us; we will continue to tweeting, sharing, and doing whatever we can to reach our voices to the outside world.”