Iran has been cut off from the internet for almost 72 hours

pulse

November 19, 2019 12:39 PM

Protests erupted across Iran on Friday after the government announced fuel rationing and prices rocketed up 50%.

Iran protests

On Saturday the Iranian government imposed an internet blackout.
A spokesman for the government said Tuesday that the protests had died down, but the blackout remained in place.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Iran is currently cut off from the internet following violent clashes between police and protesters.

Iran's government announced Friday that it was rationing fuel and increasing its price , citing economic pressure US sanctions as its reason for doing so. This sent prices skyrocketing 50%, and protests quickly broke out across the country, resulting in clashes with security forces.

On Saturday the government enforced an internet blackout, cutting off all but 4% of the country's internet in an effort to curb protesters organising.

Since the protests started on Friday, 12 people have been killed according to the BBC , although the actual figure is likely to be higher.

Iran's judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili told journalists on Tuesday that the protests had abated and "calm has been restored in the country," according to Reuters but the internet blackout remains in place.

With Iranians' access to the internet restricted it's hard to get a clear image of the situation, but Reuters reported that some videos uploaded to social media in spite of the ban showed protests continuing on Monday night.

This is not the first time this year a government has cut off citizens' access to the internet. India cut off internet access to the disputed region of Kashmir in August of this year , and since that time has axed the region's semi-autonomous status .

NOW WATCH: Watch Elon Musk unveil his latest plan for conquering Mars

Enhance Your Pulse News Experience!

Get rewards worth up to $20 when selected to participate in our exclusive focus group. Your input will help us to make informed decisions that align with your needs and preferences.

I've got feedback!

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng