Human rights and economic concerns grow as internet curfew continues across Iraq

Lawk Ghafuri

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraqis have once again been cut off from the internet in a government attempt to curb protester communications, dealing a further blow to the Iraqi economy and raising concerns over human rights abuses. 

Internet access is currently only available from 8am-4pm. 

NetBlocks.org, an international non-partisan group monitoring internet access has been following the situation in Iraq during the protests. 

Businesses have lost hundreds of thousands  of dollars in revenue as a result of the blackouts, according to their November 4 report, with small businesses among the hardest hit. 

Iraq’s economy has taken a severe blow since protests began, with the closure of Umm Qasr port in the southern city of Basra, a main entry point for imports from abroad, estimated to have cost Iraq $6 billion. 

Netblocks added that the routine internet shutdowns cost Iraqi GDP at least $1 billion in the month of October. 

The economy is not the only area of concern, however. 

The nationwide internet shutdown has  also alarmed human rights organizations as the protester death toll continue to rise. 

Human Rights Watch (HRW) highlighted the internet blackout in  Iraq and accused the Iraqi government of “preventing Iraqis and  the world from seeing the extent of its deadly response,” in a report published Sunday. 

HRW called on the international community to focus on the killing of protesters. 

“The rash killing of protestors by Iraqi security forces over the past month should be at the front of diplomats’ minds as they shape their recommendations,” Human Rights Watch stated.

Accurate figures on the number of injured and dead have been difficult to obtain due to the internet crackdown. 

The White House released a statement on Sunday describing their  concerns about the “continued attacks against protesters in Iraq,” including the restriction of internet access.

Washington wants "the Iraqi government to halt the violence against  protesters and fulfill President (Barham) Saleh's promise to pass  electoral reform and hold early elections," the statement added.

At least 319 people have died and more than 12,000 have been wounded since protests against corruption, lack of employment, and lack of  basic services began in Baghdad on October 1, before spreading to  southern Iraqi provinces.  

Resuming on October 25, protesters reassembled with renewed vigor,  taking control of Baghdad’s Tahrir Square and its surrounding areas to demand a revolution to sweep away political parties that have consolidated  power in Iraq since the 2005 elections.

Amid live ammunition and military-grade tear gas canister fire on  protesters and claims of activist disappearances, killings and kidnappings, the Human Rights Office of the United Nations Assistance  Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) released a list of demands to the Iraqi government  on Sunday “following consultations with a wide range of Iraqi parties,  actors and authorities.”

UNAMI called on the government to “protect all life”, as well as guaranteeing “the right to peaceful assembly, demonstration and freedom  of expression.”

They also urged the Iraqi government to ban the improper use of non-lethal devices and introduce electoral and security sector reforms, alongside a referendum on amendments to the constitution.

In a tweet following UNAMI’s list of demands, NetBlocks criticized UNAMI’s report for not demanding the “restoration of internet access.”

“The UN mission has issued a list of demands to Iraq, none of which include the restoration of internet access,” NetBlocks tweeted on Sunday.