D.C. Memo: Iran to Impose Death Penalty if Caught Using Starlink to Spy
Draft law also makes it illegal to own or use Elon Musk's low Earth orbit satellite Internet service
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Starlink: Iran’s draft anti-espionage law would impose the death penalty on anyone who used Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite Internet service to spy or engage in other acts against the state, Iran International reported Friday. The newly published text would ban the personal use of Starlink and other unauthorized satellite Internet services, making it punishable by six months to two years in prison and subject to confiscation of equipment, according to the news outlet. The draft law said “the use, possession, purchase, sale, or import of unlicensed electronic, Internet, or satellite communication devices – such as Starlink – for personal use is prohibited and punishable by sixth-degree imprisonment, with the equipment to be confiscated.” In July, the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) quoted by western media sources said the Iranian Parliament had already passed a law that included “fines, flogging, or up to two years in prison” for Starlink users. In January, a Newsweek report cited Iran International as saying that Starlink usage in Iran had “skyrocketed, as more than 100,000 people accessed the service in defiance of the government’s Internet restrictions.” Russia and Iran have tried to jam Starlink’s signals with mixed results, perhaps a reason Iran is targeting end users with harsh punishment. Iran International is “a Persian-language satellite TV channel and multilingual digital news operation established in May 2017 and headquartered in London, with programming aimed at Iranians and people interested in Iranian news, culture, politics, society and sports,” according to Wikipedia. During November 2022 street protests, the Iranian Minister of Intelligence Ismail Khatib announced that Iran International had been declared a terrorist organization by the Islamic Republic of Iran for allegedly inciting riots protesting the government, according to Wikipedia. (More after paywall.)
