Iranian Man Allegedly Killed After Using Starlink During Blackout

Hesam Alaeddin, 40, died in Tehran after local reports say security forces arrested him for allegedly using a Starlink satellite terminal to access the internet during the country’s extended blackout.

According to those accounts, officers seized Alaeddin’s electronic devices, searched his home and beat him during questioning. He later died. The reports identify his use of a Starlink terminal as the reason for the arrest. If verified, his death would be among the first linked to the use of Starlink equipment in Iran.

Authorities imposed the national internet blackout shortly after attacks that officials attributed to a U.S.-Israel coalition. The shutdown has continued for 64 days.

Netblocks has tracked the outage and reported national connectivity at about 1% of normal levels since the restrictions began. Afshin Kolahi, a member of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, estimated daily economic losses at up to $80 million and total damage so far at more than $2.5 billion.

Iranian authorities have treated the use of Starlink terminals as illegal since January and stepped up enforcement. In early April, security forces arrested four people accused of importing Starlink kits and alleged to be part of a foreign espionage network. Local accounts indicate some Iranians are buying Starlink equipment on black markets for sums reported in the thousands of dollars, while others use virtual private networks to try to regain wider internet access.

Human rights groups and civic organizations reported that the blackout has restricted access to information and hindered communications for millions, and that people who seek workarounds face arrest or prosecution. The authorities have described the restrictions as a security measure.

Officials and monitors continue to track connectivity and enforcement actions in Iran as questions remain about the circumstances of Alaeddin’s death.