20 EMBOLDENED OFFENDERS, ENDANGERED COMMUNITIES In one instance, the junta raided shops that offer Starlink and IP Star.76 In another, the NUG instructed townships under resistance control to prevent public use of LEO satellite internet.77 These are the first instances of this type of shutdown in our records. India Despite a modest decrease in shutdowns from 2023, India still imposed 84 in 2024, the most disruptions ordered in a democracy that year. People in 16 states and territories experienced a shutdown, with state government officials in Manipur (21), Haryana (12), and Jammu & Kashmir (12) topping the list of offenders in India. Of the 84, 41 shutdowns were related to protests, and 23 were related to communal violence. Asia Pacific Pakistan Authorities imposed 21 shutdowns across Pakistan in 2024, the highest annual total ever for the country. This included a combination of nationwide blocks of X, Signal, and Bluesky, a nationwide mobile shutdown on election day (February 8), and numerous local and regional shutdowns during protests and religious holidays. People in the province of Balochistan were impacted by six shutdowns, including an ongoing shutdown from 2022 in Panjgur and two targeting the Baloch ethnic group during protests that sparked violent police crackdowns.78 Bangladesh Authorities imposed a string of five escalating, layered shutdowns in July and August during protests by the student-led quota reform movement. Despite deadly crackdowns,79 the protest movement led to the resignation of the former Prime Minister and the formation of an interim government. Russia Eastern Europe and Central Asia In addition to seven shutdowns imposed on Ukraine during their full-scale invasion, Russia imposed 12 within their own borders through eight platform blocks, two local or regional shutdowns, and one shutdown carried out as they tested their “sovereign internet.”80 Azerbaijan Authorities followed a surge of six shutdowns from 2022 and 2023 with a shutdown during the February 2024 elections that targeted polling stations,81 and a blocking of X from October 8-10. 76 BNI Online (2024). Junta Cracks Down on Myitkyina Establishments Providing Satellite Based Internet Service. https://www.bnionline.net/en/ news/junta-cracks-down-myitkyina-establishments-providing-satellite-based-internet-service 77 Modern Times on Facebook (2024). https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_ fbid=998760372262263&id=100063849292474&mibextid=WC7FNe&rdid=vTl2SyEKZRr5jSrt 78 Al Jazeera (2024). Why protest by ethnic Baloch has put Pakistan’s key port of Gwadar on edge. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/7/31/ why-protest-by-ethnic-baloch-has-put-pakistans-key-port-of-gwadar-on-edge 79 The Daily Star (2024). At least 93 dead as violence grips the country. https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/least-93-dead-violence-grips-the-country-3669636 80 The Record (2024). Russia disrupts internet access in multiple regions to test ‘sovereign internet.’ xzhttps://therecord.media/russia-disruptsinternet-access-in-multiple-regions-runet 81 Meydan.tv (2024). Internet restrictions during Azerbaijan elections prompt concerns over freedom of communication. https://www.meydan. tv/en/article/internet-restrictions-during-azerbaijan-elections-prompt-concerns-over-freedom-of-communication/