Post the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, hacktivist group Anonymous joined forces with Iranian citizens to fight against the Iranian regime and the “morality police”. On September 25, the hacker collective released confidential data of the parliament members of Iran and officials from the Supreme Audit Court. The data consisted of details of the Iranian government officials’ including their phone numbers, addresses, and other data.
Amini was arrested on September 13 for not wearing a hijab while traveling from the western Iranian province of Kurdistan to Tehran. As per reports, she died in the hospital on September 16 due to police torture for not following the dress code.
On September 21, the group released a video on Twitter extending their support to the cause and the citizens of Iran. It warned the Iranian government about the consequences of their dictatorship actions against the women of Iran. Following the warning, several new protests broke out in Iran and other parts of the world. Despite the notice, the Iranian government tried censoring the rally, which ultimately led to the hacking group releasing the confidential data.
Anonymous intervention
The face of #Iran. A 21 year old woman who says;
"The security forces attacked me tonight for the crime of protesting. But I won’t give up. I am #MahsaAmini."
h/t @AlinejadMasih #IranProtests #MahsaAmini #Mahsa_Amini #مهسا_امینی #IranRevolution pic.twitter.com/ZndctUoF7h— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) September 26, 2022
Anonymous published a video message on Sunday announcing that they have successfully hacked Iran’s parliament website in retaliation against the government in Iran. The group also posted other clips of the ongoing protest where Iranians in London were trying to break into the Islamic Republic embassy.
Take the embassies!
Iranians in London fight police to enter the Islamic Republic embassy.#IranProtests #MahsaAmini #Mahsa_Amini #مهسا_امینی #IranRevolution pic.twitter.com/c0eBy2ya5A
— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) September 25, 2022
The news was first posted by Iran International, a Persian language television station headquartered in London, wherein the station mentioned that “the Anonymous hacktivist group has hacked the database of Iran’s Supreme Audit Court and released the phone numbers, among other data, of all members of the Iranian Parliament.”
According to the report, Anonymous released the data of government personnel. Our support for the Iranian protests will continue. As you all know, the government is trying everything to stop you. Don’t give up,” said a distorted voice on the video. “Do not leave the streets. Do not stop the revolution.”
The Iranian parliament supports the dictator when it should support the people, so we are releasing the personal information of all of them,” Anonymous added.
Anonymous hacked the Iranian news website
#BREAKING The Anonymous hacktivist group has hacked the database of Iran’s Supreme Audit Court and released the phone numbers, among other data, of all members of the Iranian Parliament. pic.twitter.com/7gVXUu8Hb1
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) September 25, 2022
Anonymous is backing the Iranian protest against its government and has, in multiple instances, intervened with the government and helped the people of Iran. On Saturday, the hacker collective took down Iran’s Arab news website Al-Alam, the second attack in the series, following the attack on the official website of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Both websites are still down. Moreover, several state-run websites, such as the RGC-affiliated Fars news agency, have limited access to their pages over the fear of being attacked by Anonymous.
According to Iran International, the group also highlighted that the Iran government was blocking its citizens from accessing the internet. In its statement, Anonymous said, “If the Iran government blocks the people from accessing the internet, Anonymous will block the government from accessing the internet.”
