Gambia Criticized for Shutting Down Communication Networks on Election Day

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Gambia Criticized for Shutting Down Communication Networks on Election Day

By CircleID Reporter
December 01, 2016, 10:20 pm PST Views: 8,259 Add Comment

Gambia election day – Internet and international calls banned“Communication blackout shatters illusion of freedom during the election,” says Amnesty International in a statement on Thursday. Amid blocks on the Internet and other communications networks in Gambia during today’s presidential election, Samira Daoud, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa said: “This is an unjustified and crude attack on the right to freedom of expression in Gambia, with mobile internet services and text messaging cut off on polling day. Shutting down these communication networks shatters the illusion of freedom that had emerged during the two weeks period of the electoral campaign, when restrictions appeared to have been eased. ... Blocks on the internet and other communications networks amount to a flagrant violation of the right to freedom of expression and access to information. The same rights that people have offline must also be protected online.”

— The election features three candidates, President Yahya Jammeh (APRC, Alliance for Patriotic Reconstruction and Construction), Adama Barrow (Coalition 2016, a coalition of opposition parties) and Mama Kandeh (GDC, Gambian Democratic Congress), in an election that will be won by whoever gains the most votes on 1 December. There is no second round and results are expected on 2 December.

— Govt of Gambia orders Internet blackout ahead of national election. Service down since 20:05 UTC on 30-Nov. Dyn Research / Dec 1

By CircleID Reporter — CircleID’s internal staff reporting on news tips and developing stories. Do you have information the professional Internet community should be aware of? Contact us.
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