Parliamentary move to lift the ban on “Telegram” in Iraq
Parliamentary move to lift the ban on “Telegram” in Iraq
2026-04-25
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The State of Law parliamentary bloc on Saturday deemed the decision to block electronic applications, particularly the Telegram application, an incorrect and illegal measure, stressing that it would take action within the House of Representatives to compel the government and the Ministry of Communications to lift the block.
Coalition MP Ibtisam al-Hilali told Shafaq News Agency that the government’s blocking of the application without legal justification caused confusion and problems for many employers in the private sector, as well as school and university students.
She added that more than 100,000 university students rely primarily on the Telegram application as a link between the student, the professor, the college deanship, and the university presidency.
She pointed out that, after the Corona pandemic, schools relied on the application to send assignments and notifications, noting that students in the final stages of the “Baccalaureate” rely on the study channels and groups available in it.
Al-Hilali confirmed that the MPs will address the Speaker of Parliament to issue a resolution obligating the government and the Ministry of Communications to lift the ban on the “Telegram” application, especially with the start of the final exam period for schools and universities.
Earlier, Member of Parliament Saud Al-Saadi accused the Ministry of Communications of violating the constitution and the decision of the Federal Court after it blocked the Telegram platform unilaterally and without legal basis.
A government source revealed to Shafaq News Agency that the decision to ban the application came in coordination between the government and the security and intelligence services, noting that the application is used by some armed factions for communication, and that stopping it falls within the security control measures and reducing drone attacks.
Despite the ban that began on April 3, official and unofficial channels and platforms, especially educational ones, continue to broadcast educational materials, news and instructions via the application, while a number of citizens, especially students, have resorted to using VPN applications to bypass the blocking.
shafaq.com
