Iraq Lifts Ban on Telegram, Why the Ban Happened in the First Place
Iraq's communications ministry announced on Saturday that it will lift its ban on Telegram messaging a week after blocking it over "national security" concerns.
Following repeated requests from Iraqi authorities to shut down channels that were leaking state documents and personal data of Iraqi citizens, the ministry blocked the popular messaging service last week "based on directives from higher authorities".
In a statement on Saturday, the ministry said Telegram's owners had responded to the demands of Iraqi security authorities and expressed their "complete readiness to communicate with them."
In late July, the Iraqi non-governmental organization Digital Media Center (DMC), which monitors and analyzes digital media, criticized Telegram's technical support for failing to respond to reports filed by Iraqi users, turning the platform into a "hotspot for digital crime."
There are dozens of channels on Telegram that specialize in electronic extortion and leak the personal data of thousands of Iraqi users. The DMC said Telegram ignored its requests to delete these channels.
Many of Iraq's armed factions and militias use Telegram as their primary communication platform.
Sabreen News, a channel affiliated with Iranian-backed factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), criticized the ban as "silence" and "fighting press freedom."
According to the ministry, freedom of expression is not opposed, but social networking companies must respect the country's laws, security, and user data.
This news article is an update from the original story: Iraq Suspends Telegram Over National Security
