Civil rights activists worried: Mauritius is completely shutting down social media before elections

The Mauritius government is reacting sharply to the wiretapping scandal ahead of general elections on November 10: It has blocked access to all major social networks for citizens of the island nation in the south-west of the Indian Ocean. The national regulator, the Information and Communications Technology Authority (ICTA), ordered the suspension for a period till November 11. According to him, the measure is aimed at controlling the illegal publication of audio clips on social media and the Internet, which “may pose a threat to national security and public order.”

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Communication recordings of politicians, businessmen and civil society representatives captured through social media had already been leaked. The Reporters Without Borders organization said five well-known journalists were also affected. Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and the police complained that the recorded conversations were manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI) before being published. The head of government is currently fighting for re-election for the next five years and a majority for his Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) party.

Democracy is being weakened

British Observatory Netblocks has confirmedMany social media platforms are no longer available in Mauritius. Figures published by it on Friday consistently show zero percent data traffic from the country’s major network operators to service providers like Messenger, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube and X to Facebook. Telecom service provider Amtel had earlier said that technicians were working block regulation To implement.

KeepItOn Coalition members Demanded from Mauritius government on Friday urged people to immediately end the ongoing social media shutdown. More than 334 human rights organizations from 105 countries have joined together to create a global network. These include Access Now, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), International Press Center (IPC) and Reporters Without Borders. “Mauritius is known for its strong stance in maintaining political and civil liberties and has always been classified as an independent country,” the coalition writes. “But a targeted shutdown of key social media platforms so soon before the election risks harming human rights and the country’s democratic progress.”

Network operators are also criticized

KeepItOn argues that such blockages “prevent voters, journalists, the opposition, and election observers from accessing or sharing critical information.” This weakens the fairness, credibility and transparency of elections. The current government would have the right to “control reporting during the entire election period”. The Constitution of Mauritius guarantees freedom of expression and access to information as fundamental human rights, it continues. It also applies to international agreements such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).

Telecommunications companies also remind civil society organizations of their “duty to protect human rights and take active action against rights-violating practices such as Internet shutdowns.” Therefore they are not allowed to comply with the requirement at all. The government should also ensure that internet access is fully restored. The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the Internet Society warned in parallel: Blocking digital platforms not only hinders democratic processes, but also harms the economy.

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