Restore internet access in Iran

AI summary

Petitioners ask Canada to secure unfettered internet in Iran, back independent human-rights investigations and detainee release, enable family-reunification and humanitarian pathways, consult democratic Iranian voices, report. The government responds that it opposes shutdowns and acts.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled Credible reports from international organizations and independent observers indicate ongoing repression, arbitrary detention, and restrictions on fundamental freedoms in Iran; Repeated communication disruptions and a total internet shutdown have prevented civilians from receiving evacuation warnings about Israeli and US strikes; from accessing reliable information and from contacting family members abroad; Iranians in diaspora, including about 300,000 resident in Canada, experience ongoing psychological harm due to lack of communication with relatives and concern for their safety; Canada has consistently supported human rights, accountability for serious violations, and the international principle of the Responsibility to Protect; and Canada maintains diplomatic and multilateral tools capable of contributing to civilian protection and accountability processes. We, the undersigned, Citizens (or permanent residents) of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Work with international partners to promote and protect access to unfettered internet and communication services for civilians in Iran; 2. Advocate through multilateral institutions for independent investigations into human rights violations and preservation of evidence for future accountability mechanisms; 3. Support international initiatives aimed at the protection and release of arbitrarily detained civilians; 4. Facilitate humanitarian pathways and family reunification mechanisms, where applicable, for civilians at risk; 5. Engage, in a transparent and principled manner, with democratic representatives and civil society voices of the Iranian people — including widely recognized democratic figures such as Prince Reza Pahlavi — regarding human rights and a peaceful transition toward accountable governance; and 6. Publicly report on Canada’s actions taken under these commitments. 1. Work with international partners to promote and protect access to unfettered internet and communication services for civilians in Iran; 2. Advocate through multilateral institutions for independent investigations into human rights violations and preservation of evidence for future accountability mechanisms; 3. Support international initiatives aimed at the protection and release of arbitrarily detained civilians; 4. Facilitate humanitarian pathways and family reunification mechanisms, where applicable, for civilians at risk; 5. Engage, in a transparent and principled manner, with democratic representatives and civil society voices of the Iranian people — including widely recognized democratic figures such as Prince Reza Pahlavi — regarding human rights and a peaceful transition toward accountable governance; and 6. Publicly report on Canada’s actions taken under these commitments.

Government response

Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Signed by Peter Fragiskatos, M.P. Canada remains committed to supporting vulnerable populations through refugee resettlement, humanitarian programs, and complementary pathways. In response to the situation in Iran, Canada continues to support Iranian nationals in Canada through targeted temporary migration measures. Under an existing temporary public policy, Iranian nationals holding a valid work permit issued on or before February 28, 2025, may apply from within Canada for a work permit extension of up to two years. This measure is in effect until March 31, 2027. More broadly, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has developed a Crisis Response Framework to guide Canada’s immigration responses to international crises in a consistent and principled manner. IRCC consistently considers the following criteria: humanitarian and protection needs, Canadian interests, equity considerations, immigration system capacity, and operational feasibility. These criteria inform decisions on the potential use of immigration measures in response to emerging crises and how existing responses may be adapted as circumstances evolve. Response by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Signed by Parliamentary Secretary Rob Oliphant Parts 1-3, 5-6: The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for raising concerns regarding grave and systemic repression, widespread human rights violations, arbitrary detentions, internet shutdowns, and communication disruptions in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Canada strongly condemns the Iranian regime’s entrenched pattern of excessive and unlawful use of force against Iranians, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, severe restrictions on access to information, and other serious human rights violations. Canada has consistently and unequivocally condemned all forms of repression of human rights in Iran, including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and freedom of association. For the last 23 consecutive years, Canada has led a United Nations General Assembly resolution on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which condemns the regime’s serious and ongoing violations, urges improvement, and calls on Iranian authorities to cooperate with human rights mechanisms. On December 18, 2025, this resolution was adopted with 78 votes in favour at the General Assembly. Canada will lead on the resolution once again in 2026. In response to the recent actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran regime against its own citizens, the Government of Canada: Led a joint statement condemning the Iranian regime’s crackdown on protests, alongside Australia and the European Union on January 9, 2026; Participated in the Group of Seven statement condemning Iran’s latest wave of brutal suppression and urging Iran to respect its human rights obligations on January 14, 2026; Cosponsored a statement by the Freedom Online Coalition on February 4, 2026, condemning the Iranian authorities’ repression of protesters, internet shutdowns, and other measures aimed at silencing dissent, and calling for respect for human rights both online and offline; Issued multiple statements unequivocally opposing the death penalty, arbitrary arrests and detentions, forced confessions, unfair trials and discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in Iran. Issued a joint statement on Iranian state threats and HAYI-claimed attacks with 21 other nations on June 10, 2026, condemning Iran’s lethal plotting and other malign actions in Europe, North American and Australia, including attacks targeting Jewish communities, Iranian journalists, and US interests. Canada supports an open, global, interoperable, and reliable Internet, and promotes a safe, secure, and enabling online environment for all. Canada has committed, through the United Nations Global Digital Compact, to advancing universal and meaningful connectivity, recognizing that access to the Internet is essential for the full enjoyment of human rights and inclusive participation both online and offline. In this context, Canada opposes internet shutdowns and measures that intentionally disrupt access to communications services in Iran, including during periods of unrest. The Government of Canada also continues to hold perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses accountable. To this end, Canada is supporting international partners to pursue independent investigations and accountability through multilateral mechanisms, including through the efforts of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran and relevant independent investigative mechanisms, including the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran. At the United Nations Human Rights Council on January 23, 2026, Canada intervened to condemn Iran’s entrenched impunity and violent repression of legitimate and peaceful demonstrations. Canada also engaged constructively in support of the Special Session’s associated resolution, which mandated the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on Iran to specifically document and preserve evidence of Iran’s violent response to these protests to support future accountability processes. On March 16, 2026, Canada delivered a joint intervention with Australia and New Zealand at the Human Rights Council condemning Iran’s violent response to protests, demanding accountability, and reaffirming the need for sustained international scrutiny. Canada supports the Session’s associated resolution mandating the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on Iran to specifically document and preserve evidence of Iran’s violent response to these protests to support accountability. In addition to actions taken internationally, Canada continues to leverage domestic legal and policy tools to impose consequences on Iranian individuals and entities responsible for nuclear and weapons proliferation activities, gross and systemic human rights violations, and regional and global destabilizing activities. Since July 22, 2010, Canada has imposed sanctions on nearly 500 Iranian individuals and entities across all levels of Iran’s security, intelligence, and economic apparatus pursuant to theSpecial Economic Measures Actand the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law). On December 15, 2025, Canada sanctioned four additional senior Iranian officials for their direct roles in implementing repressive policies to violently suppress protests and/or for serious violations of the rights of prisoners, including arbitrarily detained protesters and political opponents. On February 14, 2026, Canada announced new measures on seven individuals linked to Iranian state bodies responsible for intimidation, violence and transnational repression targeting Iranian dissidents and human rights defenders. On March 26, 2026, Canada announced additional sanctions under the (Iran) Regulations (Iran regulations) against five individuals and four entities for their direct or indirect involvement in procurement networks that produce and supply technology supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ weapon production and transfers to proxies, including to Russia for its use in its war of aggression against Ukraine. These measures build on Canada’s broader efforts to maintain pressure on Iran, including: Listing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Codeon June 19, 2024. Canada has also listed the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations under theCriminal Code; Designating the Government of Iran as a regime engaged in terrorism and systematic or gross human rights violations under theImmigration and Refugee Protection Act, rendering any senior official who served since June 23, 2003, inadmissible to Canada; Designating Iran as a state supporter of terrorism under the State Immunity Act. The Government of Canada reconfirmed this designation on December 4, 2025. Canada does not support any opposition figure in Iran, and it stands with the Iranian people in their long and courageous struggle against the regime’s oppressive rule. The future of Iran must be decided by the Iranian people, and the Government calls on Iranian leadership to listen to the voices of its people. Canadians are invited to visit the Canada and Iran news page for the most recent statements and announcements concerning Iran.