Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is first and foremost a story of violence and abuse against civilians. But it’s also tragic evidence of the dangers of intentionally shutting down the internet during a crisis. At least 12 of Russia’s 22 government shutdowns targeting Ukraine in 2022 coincided with documented human rights violations. Today, as we approach two years since the full-scale invasion, we document the suffering inflicted on the Ukrainian people and highlight the role that network disruption continues to play in increasing risk and harm to the most vulnerable. I’ll explore.
How we got here
On February 24, 2022, one of Russia’s first acts of war was a cyberattack launched just before Russian forces entered Ukrainian territory. The attack disabled equipment used to connect to Viasat’s satellite broadband Internet network. The shutdown of internet access affected civilians and crippled communications infrastructure in Ukraine and other European countries.
After Russian troops rushed across the border, the physical and digital battlefields became one.
Russian troops struggling to surround Kiev went door to door looking for smartphones, laptops and “other devices that can be used to communicate” about what was happening on the ground. Using a smartphone in areas controlled by the Russian military, such as Bucha and Irpin in Kiev Oblast, can be interpreted by infiltrating forces as an act of informant, putting civilians trying to communicate in deadly danger. .
Unable to completely stop the flow of information, Russian invaders began targeting 4G transmission equipment, even though they had to abandon their own encrypted communications systems that relied on the same infrastructure. .
Russian forces have isolated people in eastern and southeastern Ukraine and introduced violence into local communities. In Mariupol, for example, Russian forces rapidly flattened connectivity infrastructure as part of an indiscriminate and relentless bombing campaign that inflicted civilian casualties.
This pattern continued in other Ukrainian cities. Based on the documents of the #KeepItOn coalition regarding the shutdown in Ukraine, we can conclude that the internet shutdown in Bucha and Irpin, as well as in Mariupol, occurred simultaneously with the Russian occupation and the outbreak of extreme violence.
Of course, this round of closures is just the first of many to come. Deliberate shutdowns and interference with civilian internet and telecommunications networks continues today. They keep millions of people in the dark, making them even more vulnerable to the ravages of war.
what happened now
Access Now has long sounded the alarm about Russia’s use of internet shutdowns as a means of war and as part of its military strategy. The International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are currently investigating atrocities in Ukraine. As courts carry out their work, we have published legal commentary. Internet and Telecommunications Shutdown in the Assessment of International Crimes, sheds light on the relationship between internet and communications blackouts and the legal assessment of crimes against humanity. In our brief, we recall that already in 2011, the ICC considered disruption of internet and telecommunications services to be evidence of state policy in its assessment of crimes against humanity. Therefore, we believe that telecommunications and internet shutdowns should be properly and justly evaluated when determining these crimes.
our recommendations
It is past time for all parties involved in shutting down the internet to be held accountable. Stakeholders around the world must work together to prevent further suffering and atrocities by preventing internet shutdowns and the weaponization of communication networks.
We call on members of the international community to:
We urge United Nations bodies and institutions to:
- Ensure that the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine includes adequate information on digital rights violations, including internet shutdowns, censorship and surveillance, in its upcoming March 2024 report.
- Through organizations such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), it will provide technical resources, support and support for rebuilding the telecommunications infrastructure on the territory of Ukraine and ensuring the supply of telecommunications equipment.and
- Ensure that the ICC and other relevant courts consider the role of internet shutdowns and other digital rights violations in investigations of international crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.
We urge carriers, businesses, and ISPs to:
- Address internet shutdowns within human rights policy by anticipating risks through due diligence processes and adopting mitigation and transparency measures.
- Consider all lawful measures to combat the conduct of disruptions and ensure maximum transparency in how such events are managed.
- Include a commitment to preventing and mitigating the negative human rights impacts of internet shutdowns in public human rights policy statements, and establish operational policies and procedures to ensure that we are adequately prepared to respond to shutdown requests even in high-pressure situations.
- Preserve and facilitate the transmission of critical evidence of potential human rights violations, including any attacks affecting personnel.and
- When responding to internet shutdown requests, please ensure that you comply with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines and are not causing or contributing to human rights abuses. .
We urge technology companies to:
- Facilitate the export, transfer and activation of secure connectivity technologies, including alternatives to traditional telecommunications infrastructure such as mesh networking and satellite internet, safely and appropriately, and in collaboration with local stakeholders.
- We will take all possible measures to protect our employees and communities where our value chain operations are carried out in Ukraine.
- We take steps to further protect the accounts and data of our Ukrainian users from hacking, surveillance, censorship, and other online threats.
- To avoid inadvertently violating the rights of the most vulnerable users, including individuals living in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, avoid over-compliance with sanctions and ensure that the human rights impact of your decisions is fully understood. To understand.and
- Adopt policies and practices that identify, assess, and address heightened human rights risks inherent in high-risk areas affected by conflict, such as connectivity management, data integrity, and content governance.
We urge technology companies to:
- Continue to cooperate in investigations, including by supporting witnesses and victims, collecting and preserving digital evidence, and include the digital dimension of harm when documenting human rights violations.
- Protect yourself and your community by contacting the Digital Security Helpline for direct assistance on digital safety and avoiding shutdowns.and
- To strengthen support for the closures, please consider sharing your stories about the impact of the closures with the #KeepItOn coalition.
