Senegal Suspends Mobile Internet Again Over Protest

Senegal authorities have decided to suspend mobile internet access due to a ban on protest against the postponement of the February presidential election.

Naija News reports that this marks the second time this month that mobile internet has been suspended in Senegal, further heightening the already tense political climate.

The country’s presidential election, originally scheduled for February 25th, was delayed due to disagreements over the candidate list and allegations of corruption.

This decision sparked widespread protests and accusations that President Macky Sall was attempting to prolong his term in office.

On Tuesday morning (today), following the authorities’ ban on a planned protest against the election delay, mobile internet access was suspended across the country. The government claims that this measure is necessary to prevent the dissemination of “hateful and subversive messages” that could potentially incite violence.

However, critics argue that the internet shutdown is a clear attempt to suppress dissent and restrict communication during this critical political period.

They contend that it infringes upon freedom of expression and hampers journalists and citizens from documenting and sharing information about the ongoing protests.

The impact of internet shutdowns in Senegal is significant, disrupting daily life by affecting businesses, communication channels, access to information, and online education.

Moreover, these shutdowns disproportionately affect vulnerable populations who rely on the Internet for essential services.

“Due to the dissemination on social networks of several subversive hate messages that have already provoked violent demonstrations… mobile data is suspended this Tuesday, 13 February,” Senegal Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Energy said in a statement released today.