Senegalese authorities have taken the decision to disconnect the internet in the country after President Macky Sall indefinitely postponed the presidential election.
This action was prompted by widespread protests that erupted following the announcement of the election’s postponement, which was originally planned for February 25, 2024.
The Minister of Communication, Telecommunications, and Digital Affairs, Moussa Bocar Thiam, issued a statement on Sunday, declaring the internet shutdown, just one day after the election was rescheduled.
“The internet of data mobile phones is temporarily suspended from Sunday, February 4, 2024, at 10 p.m.,” Mr. Thiam said, claiming the shutdown was “due to the dissemination of several hateful and subversive messages relayed on social networks in a context of threats of disturbances to public order”.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed concern about the internet shutdown in Senegal, which coincided with the postponement of the election.
They are calling on the government to restore internet access. Additionally, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has urged the authorities in Senegal to promptly select a new date for the presidential election.
