This archive report was first published on 5 October 2019.
As anti-government demonstrations began in Iraq on Tuesday, authorities restricted access to Facebook and Whatsapp, followed by a total network shutdown on Wednesday.
The shutdown left protesters with limited communication options, but some Iraqis found ways to circumvent the blackout.
One such individual, a 29-year-old internet service provider employee who wished to remain anonymous, uses his work internet to upload videos and photos to Facebook and send them to international media outlets.
"I go to the protests in the morning and shoot video on my phone, then use the internet at work to upload them to Facebook or send them to media outside Iraq," he said.
Protesters claim the internet outage is an attempt to suppress reports of security forces using indiscriminate force, including tear gas, live rounds, and water cannons.
Despite the shutdown, protesters have found alternative ways to share information, including using virtual private network (VPN) applications and posting details of upcoming protests in the comments section of a popular streaming service.
However, these avenues were also shut off by the government's systemic shutdown.
Those who could afford it have erected costly satellites on their rooftops to access the outside world.
As the death toll from the demonstrations continues to rise, protesters are determined to document the violence and hold those responsible accountable.
"They’re trying to fight us not just with arms, but with this blackout," said 31-year-old protester Osama Mohammad.
"We used to check the different neighbourhoods' Facebook pages to know where to go for protests. Now we just follow the sound of gunfire," Mohammad added.
For 25-year-old women's rights activist Rasha, taking to the streets carries too much risk, but she has found a way to contribute by texting and phoning updates from protest squares to friends in the United Arab Emirates and Europe.
"I'm an intermediary. I can’t protest myself so this is the least I can do," she said.
As the situation in Iraq continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how long the internet shutdown will last and what impact it will have on the protesters' ability to share their stories.
