Senegal limits social media access following protests over sentencing of opposition leader

A violent protest that erupted in Senegal following the 2-year sentence handed to popular opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, has not only resulted in the deaths of 9 people but prompted the restriction of social media by the authorities. Netblocks, a worldwide internet monitor, confirmed that access to platforms including Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Telegram had been limited. 

Early this week, Technext reported that a Bangladeshi hacker cell called Mysterious Group launched several (Distributed-Denial-of-Service) DDoS attacks on websites belonging to the Senegalese government, local media outlets, and public services. 

Yesterday, Sonko was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment after a case that dragged on since 2021 when a former beauty salon worker accused him of rape and the issuance of death threats. Sonko, absent at yesterday’s hearing, escaped conviction for rape and death threat charges. 

However, the court found him guilty of an offense labeled “corrupting the youths.” It’s a situation whereby the perpetrator motivates the victim (a young person below 21) to engage in sex, drugs, and alcohol. Not only is this a punishable offense, but Sonko risks being deemed ineligible for the 2024 presidential elections. 

Following the judgment, Sonko’s political party, PASTEF (Patriotes Africains du Sénégal Pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité), tweeted a call for all Senegalese citizens to hit the streets and reject the verdict. Apparently, the people listened and embarked on a violent protest that saw various public properties destroyed. The violence spread to a university campus in Dakar, the capital city. Many school buses and officers were set ablaze. 

Netblocks wrote, “Real-time network data show the restrictions in effect on Senegal’s leading mobile provider Orange (Sonatel) with restrictions subsequently also observed on Free (Tigo).” Citizens can bypass the embargo on social media using a virtual private network (VPN). VPNs continue to enjoy massive patronage following an increase in the occurrence of the internet or social media prohibitions. 

Justifying the measure, Senegal’s Minister of Interior – Antoine Diome – said “the dissemination of hateful and subversive messages on social networks” needed to be contained. Many African countries have recently turned to social media or Internet restriction, a practice that flaunts the United Nations Human Rights Council’s stance on Internet access. 

In a document drafted by the Council, a portion reads: “States’ use of blocking or filtering technologies is frequently in violation of their obligation to guarantee the right to freedom of expression.” Another section recognizes that the “right to freedom of opinion and expression is as much a fundamental right on its own accord as it is an “enabler” of other rights, including economic, social and cultural rights.” 

The francophone country’s relatively stable democracy has, since 2021, been marred by demonstrations. 14 people died during the 5-day unrest in 2021 after being shot by Senegalese security forces. On the second day of the unrest, the government disrupted access to social media sites. 

Read also: Guinea’s interim government orders fresh internet shutdown ahead of 2-day anti-govt protest

Frequent internet disruptions are unhealthy for Africa’s economy 

With technology came the Internet and subsequently social media platforms. Aside from information dissemination, people over the world have leveraged the Internet for various reasons, including business. Just recently, Selar published a report on the state of African creators, a new niche for individuals who mobilize their skills and products. 

So, why have reports of internet blackouts increased recently? On May 17, 2023, Guinea experienced limited social media platform access over civil unrest. On March 6, Mauritania implemented a nationwide mobile internet disruption after 4 prisoners enabled a riot which enabled them to escape. On February 6, the Ethiopian government reduced access to social media and instant messaging apps following protests challenging a plan to divide the Orthodox Tewhado Church. 

According to the UN document shared above, the restrictions often occur during “key political moments, such as elections, times of social unrest, or anniversaries of politically or historically significant events.” 

Although this is largely true, Nigeria’s ban on Twitter, a microblogging app, in 2021 happened because the latter deleted certain inflammatory tweets by former president, Muhammadu Buhari. Businesses in the West African country reportedly lost N546.5 billion due to the shutdown. 

Similarly, many nations on the continent have suffered major losses because the government cut off access to the internet. Using Netblock’s Cost of Shutdown Tool, Technext discovered that a day of total internet blockage would cost Guinea over $4 million. For Senegal, it’s $7.9 million. In Ethiopia, the government-backed outage of Facebook for one day will see the country lose $2 million. 

It’s worth noting that constant internet disruptions not only cost countries millions but dissuade foreign investments.  

What’s next for Senegal? 

Currently, it’s nearly impossible to estimate the impact of the Internet shutdown caused by Senegal’s latest political unrest. It’s hard to deny that Sonko is a champion of the youth, a demographic that unanimously supports his presidential bid. Sonko has often described his court case as an attempt by the Sarr-led administration to foil his election ambitions. 

Although he was not convicted based on rape charges, the “corrupting of youth” offense that earned him a 2-year imprisonment term could still dampen his dream of appearing on Senegal’s presidential election ballot in 2024.