GPS News
INTERNET SPACE
Iraq lifts suspension of Telegram app
Iraq lifts suspension of Telegram app
by AFP Staff Writers
Baghdad (AFP) Aug 13, 2023

The Iraqi government on Sunday ended a week-long suspension of the Telegram messaging app over "national security" concerns after the move drew criticism from pro-Iran factions.

On Sunday morning the app was again accessible without the need for a virtual private network (VPN), AFP journalists in Baghdad said.

Iraq's ministry of communications had on Saturday evening announced "the lifting of the freeze on Telegram from tomorrow, Sunday".

Telegram is very popular in Iraq, and is particularly used as a propaganda platform for groups associated with armed factions and pro-Iran political parties.

A coalition of Iran-linked Shiite Muslim parties dominates Iraq's parliament, and backs Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

When it suspended the app, the government said Telegram "did not respond" to repeated requests to address the issue of "data leakage from state institutions and individuals, which poses a threat to national security and social peace."

In its new statement, the ministry said managers of the app had responded to "demands of authorities by detecting the people who divulged the data of citizens and by expressing their full availability to communicate with relevant authorities."

Responding to criticisms on one Iraqi Telegram channel that the suspension was a restriction of free speech, the ministry said it "is not opposed to freedom of expression".

However, it invited managers of apps "to respect the law, the security and the data of users".

After decades of conflict, Iraq has achieved relative stability but rights groups regularly criticise authorities over the level of free expression.

The country ranks 167 out of 180 on the Reporters Without Borders 2023 Press Freedom Index.

Telegram has previously been blocked in some other countries.

Related Links
Satellite-based Internet technologies

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
INTERNET SPACE
Alibaba announces unexpected 14% increase in quarterly revenue
Beijing (AFP) Aug 10, 2023
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba announced an unexpected 14 percent on-year increase in quarterly sales on Thursday, following several difficult years and in spite of a broader economic slowdown. Alibaba is a key player in China's expansive digital economy and the operator of a major online shopping platform. The Hangzhou-based group's performance is therefore considered a barometer of domestic consumption, which has flagged in recent months. China entered deflation Wednesday for the first t ... read more

INTERNET SPACE
US orange juice prices hit record after storms, crop disease

NASA data helps Bangladeshi farmers save water, money, energy

China to remove tariffs on Australian barley as ties improve

Austria farmers up in arms over Brussels GMO plans

INTERNET SPACE
Tough memory device aims for space missions

Simple superconducting device may slash energy use in computing

Novel hardware approach offers new quantum-computing paradigm

Vienna scientists enhance magnonic computing with spin wave insights

INTERNET SPACE
Military-run Mexican airline to take off in December

NASA software developers take autonomy from simulation to flight

Cathay Pacific rebounds to first-half profit as travel picks up

DLR conducts first flight of HyBird demonstrator

INTERNET SPACE
Vietnam's VinFast targets US electric car market

New York drives towards first US congestion charge

London mayor unveils new support over road pollution charge

Uber reports surprise profit in Q2

INTERNET SPACE
China's Country Garden says 'major uncertainties' over bond payments

Chinese property giant Country Garden's shares sink on default fears

Most markets drop as US rate, China fears dent global optimism

Ralph Lauren probed in Canada over Uyghur forced labour claims

INTERNET SPACE
Amazon nations launch alliance to fight deforestation at summit

'Mother Nature needs money,' Lula tells rich countries at summit

German drought prompts rethink for ancient palace park trees

Relief and despair: repeal of logging ban divides Kenya

INTERNET SPACE
Planet completes acquisition of Sinergise; Set to Expand Planet's Earth Data Platform

BlackSky signs Rocket Lab for five launches

IBM collaborates with NASA to launch Geospatial AI on Hugging Face

China launches its latest meteorological satellite

INTERNET SPACE
World Nano Foundation highlights nanotech's role in space materials science

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.