Mauritius suspends access to social media ahead of parliamentary elections

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The government of Mauritius on Friday banned access to social media websites ahead of parliamentary elections on Nov. 10 in which Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth is seeking a second term in power.

The directive was announced by the national communications regulator, which said social media sites will be banned until Nov. 11, the day after the election.

The unprecedented social media ban follows a wiretapping scandal which rocked the country last month when recorded conversations of politicians, business people, and members of civil society were leaked on social media.

According to media freedom advocacy group Reporters Without Borders, the recorded conversations of five well-known journalists were also published on social media.

The government of the Indian Ocean island country, which has a population of 1.2 million, has claimed that these leaks are a threat to national security and instructed the communications authority to suspend all access to social media.

“The ICT Authority wishes to inform the public that in response to concerns regarding illegal postings that constitute a serious threat to national security and public safety, it has received directives in the evening of 31 October 2024, to direct all Internet Service Providers to temporarily suspend access to all social media platforms until 11 November 2024”, the Information and Communication Technology Authority said on Friday.

Network service provider EMTEL said on Friday it would comply with the directive and user experience will be “progressively disrupted”.

“EMTEL understands the inconvenience that this action shall cause to its customers but reiterates that it has no alternative other than to comply with ICTA directive”, it said.

Local media on Friday quoted a statement from the prime minister’s office saying the suspension of social media was essential to protect national security and the country’s integrity.

It said a crisis committee was meeting to contain “existing risks”.