Iran’s parliament has outlawed unlicensed use of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service, criminalizing civilian efforts to bypass state censorship with penalties including flogging, imprisonment, and hefty fines.
At a Glance
- Iran’s new security law prohibits unlicensed satellite internet services, explicitly naming Starlink.
- Penalties include up to 74 lashes, two years of imprisonment, and fines proportional to connection duration.
- Security forces may raid private homes and confiscate satellite equipment.
- The ban targets citizens who used Starlink to bypass state-imposed internet shutdowns.
- Digital-rights advocates warn the measure will further erode freedoms and drive users underground.
Ban Enacted to Curb “Foreign Espionage”
Lawmakers justified the prohibition by accusing unapproved satellite internet of serving as a tool for “foreign espionage and propaganda,” voting overwhelmingly to outlaw services such as Starlink under new security legislation, Newsweek reports Newsweek.
Draconian Penalties and Enforcement Powers
Under the statute detailed by Yahoo News, individuals operating a Starlink terminal without official approval face up to two years in prison, fines scaled to connection duration, or as many as 74 lashes, and security forces may raid homes and confiscate satellite dishes Yahoo News.
Starlink’s Role as a Digital Lifeline
Following nationwide internet shutdowns on June 17, activists and journalists smuggled thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran to maintain access to social media and independent news outlets, a lifeline now criminalized by hardliners, Deutsche Welle documents Deutsche Welle.
Implications for Free Expression
Human Rights Watch warns that banning Starlink will drive users into riskier, clandestine networks and expose ordinary citizens to brutal corporal punishment simply for accessing uncensored information Human Rights Watch. As Iran tightens its digital borders, the fate of Starlink users will serve as a critical barometer for the broader struggle over digital freedom and state control in the 21st century.
