The people of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province face a unique and intense repression compared to other regions of the country.
Daily, the regime’s agents commit acts of violence against them. Despite their right to a peaceful and secure life, the regime has destabilized their existence to maintain control over this minority group.
This systematic insecurity has led to numerous social, political, and economic challenges, exacerbating poverty, hunger, displacement, and the collapse of social structures.
Not only is Sistan and Baluchestan among the most underdeveloped regions in Iran in terms of economy and social services, but it also experiences severe digital repression and censorship.
The province suffers from less developed communication infrastructure compared to the rest of the country.
The few available facilities are frequently disrupted by government-initiated internet blackouts, effectively isolating the residents from the outside world.
New repressive technologies are being extensively tested in this area. One such system, used by the Iranian Regulatory Organization under the Ministry of Communications, is the Siam system.
This system can slow down or disconnect the internet in specific geographic areas, further restricting communication.
Sistan and Baluchestan, the second-largest province in southeastern Iran, is considered one of the most deprived and underdeveloped provinces due to various complex reasons.
The lack of development in education, healthcare, the economy, and technical and communication infrastructure has significantly impacted the lives of its citizens for years.
In addition to these infrastructural deficiencies, natural disasters compound the region’s hardships. Monsoon rains, prolonged droughts, and storms severely disrupt daily life.
Government policies rooted in ethnic and religious discrimination, alongside a strategy of maintaining security control, contribute to the heightened oppression of the province’s people.
In the realm of communication and digital technology, the situation is equally dire. Government statistics reveal that household computer access in Sistan and Baluchestan is about 22% lower than the national average.
Similarly, the ratio of fixed broadband subscribers in the province is only 3 per 100 people, compared to the national average of 13 per 100, indicating a 75% disparity.
The limited and unreliable internet access has stifled home businesses and local economies. Many areas in the province even lack basic landline access.
In Zahedan, the provincial capital, residents often have to climb surrounding mountains to get a mobile signal.
The regime employs the Siam system, developed by the Ministry of Communications, to downgrade user access to 2G.
This system also enables the regime to listen, spy, and intercept communications. For many residents, whose livelihoods depend on porting and selling fuel, WhatsApp groups are vital for communication, coordinating routes, and receiving weather updates.
However, government-imposed internet disruptions have jeopardized their lives, as evidenced by the March 2023 floods that resulted in 20 fatalities.
Additionally, the high costs of internet access, filter breakers, and smartphones further exacerbate the digital divide in the region.
These economic barriers, combined with infrastructural and governmental obstacles, severely hinder the people of Sistan and Baluchestan from achieving a better quality of life.
