22 years old Mahsa Amen from the city Saqez in northwest Iran, on September 13, during a family visit to the Iranian capital, Tehran, she was arrested by moral and religious police for not wearing the “correct” hijab. She fainted and fell into a coma in detention and died three days later in a Tehran hospital.

The police officially cite sudden heart failure as the cause of death, but her family does not believe the claims, as she has never had any health problems. Eyewitnesses claim that the police treated the girl very roughly during the detention, and she allegedly received strong blows to the head.

The incident sparked mass protests in Iran, the largest since the sudden increase in fuel prices in 2019, which have been held across the country for eight consecutive days. At protests, many women film and burn their own as a sign of rebellion hijabs and cut their hair in public. The BBC reports that so far 35 protesters have died in the protests.

Iran restricts access to internet and social networks

Iranian authorities are also restricting access to internet. Since there is no private media in the country, social networks are the only source of information for the protesters, according to CNN.

Cyber ​​Security and Internet Watchdog Group connectivity NetBlocks states that it is in the Kurdistan region in the west of the country where she came from Mahsa Amen, since Monday, access to internet. On Friday, for the third day in a row, access to internet via mobile data.

Internet networks across the country were briefly restored on Thursday, but social networks were not accessible. He suffered another “loss” in Iran on Friday connectivity at the national level”, he states NetBlocks.

Instagram and WhatsApp the main one communication tools

The main social networks that Iran allows are Instagram and WhatsApp, which fall under the umbrella of Meta (former Facebook). “People in Iran are cut off from the internet applications and service,” it is tweeted head of Instagram Adam Mosseri and expressed hope,”that their right to the web will be quickly restored“.

Many on social networks warn that Meta is involved in content censorship. Israeli journalist Emily Schrader complained that Instagram deleted her video about the Iranian protests with 1.8 million views. As with other languages, Meta also has a team of Persian-speaking reviewers who review and remove content reported by other users as violating Meta’s standards.

The US is trying to give the Iranians access to internet

Meanwhile, the US announced on Friday evening that it would try to give the Iranians access to internet. “We will help ensure that Iranians are not isolated and in the dark,” said the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

The U.S. Treasury Department issued guidelines on Friday to lift part of the sanctions against Iran, which is intended to extend the validity of U.S. Internet service providers’ licenses to Iran and facilitate access for Iranians.

American measures focus on platforms social media and video conferencing and expand access to cloud services used to provide virtual ones private networks (VPN), which provide users with anonymity online.

The move is unlikely to have an immediate effect, the finance ministry admits, as Iranian authorities can still completely cut off access to internet.

Musk without the permission of the US authorities

Even the richest Earthling interfered in the events Elon Musk and announced on Twitter that it will activate the satellite company’s services StarLink and provided access to internet Iranians. Starlink provides Internet services through a large network of satellites and is aimed at people living in remote areas who cannot get high-speed internet.

US authorities responded that the updated license did not cover hardware Starlinkbut Musk can apply for permission from the Treasury Department.