internet shutdowns

Civil disobedience is a tool that some governments on the African continent are increasingly realising can be fuelled and sustained by the internet, and this has seen more governments impose an internet shutdown.

The #KeepItOn Coalition, made up by more than 180 organisations from over 68 countries, including APC, calls on the Nigerian authorities to keep the internet open during the upcoming elections in the country.

Ahead of Cameroon’s review by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, APC, Access Now and Internet Sans Frontières submitted a joint shadow report encouraging the Committee to consider the relationship between meaningful access to the internet and enjoyment of these rights.

This report focuses on the relationship between meaningful access to the internet and the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights in Cameroon, and in particular, the violation of these rights that come with internet shutdowns.

Throughout the African continent, where many APC members and partners are based, recent weeks have seen a fresh spate of internet shutdowns that have hindered public access to information and communications.

In response to reports that the government has shut down the internet, this joint open letter calls on the ICT minister of Zimbabwe to ensure the stability and openness of the internet.

We are writing to urgently request that you ensure the stability and openness of the internet. We have received reports that your government has shut down the internet in Jijiga, Dire Dawa, and Harar cities in Ethiopia. 

APC member in Pakistan Media Matters for Democracy stated: "The services are suspended in the wake of national events to avert possible law and order situations; however, there is no substantive evidence available to link network shutdowns with successfully countering acts of terrorism."