Concluding Observations Committee on the Rights of the Child CRC/C/IRN/CO/3-4 para
52
Full recommendation:
The Committee recommends that the State party review its laws and policies in order to provide
children with age-appropriate information and that it take measures to ensure a reasonable
balance between the threat to national security and freedom of expression.
Assessment using Impact Iran indicators1
The Iranian Internet law and policy restricts freedom of online expression, access to information,
and association of children and adolescents in contravention of the Convention. According to
ARTICLE 19, Iran’s 2010 Computer Crimes Law is “saturated with provisions that criminalise
free expression. Offenses such as ‘crimes against public morality and chastity’ and
‘dissemination of lies’ are engineered to ensnare all forms of legitimate expression.”2 3 The law
is vague and overly broad, allowing the government to censor all forms of critical or disfavored
expression and subject content providers to prison or fines. For example, under the law “using a
computer or telecommunication system to disseminate lies… with the intention of damaging the
public, disturbing the public state of mind, or that of the official authorities” is a punishable
offense.4 Restrictions on Internet content and use not only impact content providers but also
severely restrict access to information for users.
The Computer Crimes Law mandates that internet service providers (ISPs) are liable for
enforcing all content restrictions. Failure to do so means risking fines and closure of businesses.5
This essentially privatises enforcement of the law, placing it in the hands of private individuals
who do not have the training to implement even a less vaguely phrased law, and who are
motivated to over-restrict content.6 As a result, Iranian ISPs, independently or under orders of
government agencies, block a range of online content that is protected under the Convention,
including entire social media platforms, human rights websites, news sites, political blogs, arts
and music websites, websites dedicated to health and well-being, and religious websites.7 Social
media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, which are popular amongst children and
1
CRC.12.1.S.1; CRC.12.1.P.1; CRC.12.1.O.1; CCPR.21.1.S.1; CCPR.21.1.P.1; CCPR.21.1.O.1
ARTICLE 19, Computer Crimes in Iran: Online repression in practice (5 December 2013)
3
Impact Iran submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, review of the 3rd and 4th periodic reports of the Islamic
Republic of Iran
4
ARTICLE 19, The Islamic Republic: Computer Crimes Law, (2012)
5
Ibid.
6
Impact Iran submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, review of the 3rd and 4th periodic reports of the Islamic
Republic of Iran
7
UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Report on the situation of human rights
in the Islamic Republic of Iran, (4 October 2013)
2
1