Mozambican authorities have followed up on last week’s shutting down of the internet by blocking access to social media and messaging platforms as tensions escalate following the October 9 elections.
MISA’s monitoring showed that the two major mobile service providers, Vodacom and Mobitel, blocked access to Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram on October 31st, 2024.
Some Mozambicans have been planning protests following the elections, and the government’s blocking of access to social media and messaging platforms could be a response to stop the demonstrations.
MISA has since written to Vodacom, seeking clarity on why the mobile service provider shut down the internet and whether this was in response to a government order.
The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises emphasise that these companies have the added responsibility to respect human rights, prevent or mitigate potential harms, and provide a remedy for harms they cause or contribute to.
Thus, by shutting down Internet access, companies fail to respect human rights and contribute to potential harm.
By blocking access to the internet, the Mozambican government is violating the fundamental human rights of all citizens, including the right to free speech and opinion, access to information and the right to assembly.
Further, internet shutdowns disrupt emergency services, cripple economies and restrict the flow of business-related information and communications, including internet-based banking services and transactions.
The internet and social media platforms play a critical role in enhancing participatory governance in a democratic society by providing space for communication, public debates, and citizens’ right to seek and share information on how they are governed.
Research shows that internet shutdowns and violence go hand in hand. Shutting down the internet during protests only heightens tensions, which is likely to be followed by more violence.
By disrupting the free flow of information, shutdowns exacerbate existing tensions and create space to conceal potential violence and human rights violations perpetrated by both state and non-state actors.
Shutting down the internet and blocking access to social media are clear violations of the ACHPR principles. The 2016 African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Resolution recognises the “importance of the internet in advancing human and people’s rights in Africa, particularly the right to freedom of information and expression.”
The ACHPR/Res. 362 (LIX) 2016 also condemns the “emerging practice of State Parties interrupting or limiting access to telecommunication services such as the internet, social media, and messaging services”.
