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Authorities in Niger Shut Down Internet Access across the Country

  • Date of Occurrence
    March 6, 2021
  • Details
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Description

Authorities in Niger shut down internet access across the country following days of violent protests that erupted in the capital Niamey and several other towns right after the announcement of the presidential election’s provisional results. Protesters took to the streets on 23 February after opposition leader Mahamane Ousmane claimed that he narrowly won the country’s presidential election, even though official results gave victory to his rival by a wide margin.

Since then, at least two people have been reported dead, major internet service providers (ISPs) disrupted mobile internet for 11 days, and the authorities have made multiple arrests responding to political events.

By shutting down access to online communication, the government disregarded the right of Nigeriens to freely express themselves and the right to know what’s happening on the ground.

The internet and democracy in Niamey

The people of Niger headed to the polls on 21 February to vote for their next president in what would have been presented as the first democratic transition in the history of the coup-prone state.

The election was contested by former interior minister Mohamed Bazoum and Mahamane Ousmane, Niger’s first democratically elected president, who was later toppled in a coup three years later.

According to the provisional results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), former interior minister Mohamed Bazoum picked up 55.75 per cent of the vote in Sunday’s runoff and Ousmane 44.25 per cent.

A day after official results were announced, Ousmane contested the results and proclaimed himself the winner.

“The compilation of results … which we have in our possession through our representatives in the various polling stations give us victory with 50.3 per cent of the vote,” Ousmane said on Wednesday, according to a video of a speech he made in the southeastern town of Zinder.

In the aftermath of the protests, more than 470 individuals, including members of the opposition and their supporters, were arrested after CENI’s announcement on Tuesday.

Further violence erupted on Wednesday morning in Niamey’s central market area as protesters threw stones, and police responded with tear gas. At least one petrol station was attacked, according to AFP.

The authorities responded by shutting down Internet access in Niamey and Zinder.

The impact of the internet block in Papua

Niger is the world’s poorest nation according to the United Nations’ development rankings for 189 countries. The Sahelian country’s already fragile democracy due to the various violent incidents and violations of human rights is left at the brink of collapse when the government shut down internet access there.

A number of parties have protested against the government’s decision. One of them is Amnesty International.

“Restraint is needed from all parties in an already tense situation. We call on authorities in Niger to investigate the deaths, prosecute those responsible in fair trials, and also to take all necessary measures to enable people to exercise their right to peaceful protest,” said Ousmane Diallo, Amnesty International West Africa researcher.

“Journalists must be able to do their work, and the population has a right to be informed. All reasonable measures must be taken to protect media professionals and the freedom of expression in Niger.”

 

Actions Taken

Mobile Internet is finally restored after 11 days
After 11 days of limited internet access since February 24, 2021, Nigerien internet users have noted with relief the return of mobile internet this Friday, March 5, 2021, at around 11 p.m.

The internet restoration was said to be facilitated by the complaints lodged by a group of consumer associations against the mobile telephone operators (Niger Telecom, Airtel Niger, Zamani Telecom, and Moov Africa) in the country for breach of the contract for the provision of internet services.

The telecoms operators have also been summoned to appear in Commercial court on Monday following another lawsuit filed by the Association of Young Lawyers of Niger (AJAN).

Details
  • Date of Occurrence
    2021-03-06
  • Perpetrator
    Niger Authorities
  • Source
    https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/leaders/whatshappeninginniger-the-internet-shutdown-in-niamey-threatens-nigers-democracy-and/p7l4nhk
Region
  • Niger Republic
Rights & Freedom Violated
  • Digital closure and Surveillance
Mode of Attacks
  • Ban, Sanctions and Fines
  • Comments are closed.
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