Following President Obama's Message, UANI Renews Call on MTN and other Telecom Providers to Stop Enabling Iranian Regime's "Electronic Curtain"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2012
Contact: Nathan Carleton, [email protected]
Phone: (212) 554-3296

Following President Obama's Message, UANI Renews Call on MTN and other Telecom Providers to Stop Enabling Iranian Regime's "Electronic Curtain"

New York, NY- United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, issued a statement today regarding President Obama's Nowruz message to the people of Iran.

In his message, President Obama noted that "The regime monitors computers and cell phones for the sole purpose of protecting its own power" and stated that "Because of the actions of the Iranian regime, an electronic curtain has fallen around Iran ..."

Said Ambassador Wallace:

In his Nowruz message, President Obama declared that the Iranian regime has placed an "electronic curtain" around Iran. Indeed, the regime uses cellular technology from Western companies to track and monitor protesters, and works directly with companies like MTN to shut down communication during times of unrest.

It is incumbent on MTN and others to stop partnering with the world's most notorious human rights violator. Any company that does business in Iran is financially enabling the regime, and also risks having its products misused for oppressive purposes. There is ample evidence of the regime using telecommunications equipment to illegally track, monitor, and in some cases arrest, detain, and torture Iranian citizens opposed to the current extremist regime. Companies like MTN must act responsibly, and pull out of Iran until the regime decides to change its abhorrent behavior and start abiding by international law.

UANI launched its "Tech & Telecom Campaign" in 2011 to highlight the practices of international firms that provide the Iranian regime with sensitive technology and telecommunications equipment that are used to restrict and monitor internet and cellphone services. The regime uses this technology to facilitate its suppression of the citizens of Iran.

As part of the Tech and Telecom Campaign, UANI launched its MTN campaign in January. MTN Irancell is the second-largest mobile phone network operator in Iran, and the majority of its shares are owned by the Iranian regime, which has exploited MTN's network and technology to monitor and track the activities and communications of peaceful dissidents. MTN has continued to defend its partnership with the Iranian regime.

Click here to learn more about UANI's Tech & Telecom Campaign.
Click here to read UANI's February 29 letter to MTN.
Click here to read UANI's January 25 letter to MTN.
Click here and here to see UANI's MTN advertisements.
Click here to send a message to MTN.