Civil society groups take Senegalese govt to court over internet shutdowns

DAKAR - Civil society groups in Senegal have mounted a lawsuit against the government's internet shutdowns in the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Court).

The case brought before the ECOWAS Court is about the government's shutdown of the internet in June, July and August last year during widespread protests against the conviction of Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.

Media Defence and the Rule of Law Impact Lab at Stanford Law School have filed the case on behalf of the Senegal-based pan-African civil society organisation, AfricTivistes.

Cheikh Fall, president of AfricTivistes, said in a statement that the internet restrictions were an onslaught on basic human rights.

"The case filed at the ECOWAS Court challenges Senegal's actions, emphasising the detrimental impact on freedom of expression, media freedom, and the right to work," he said. He added:

During political unrest, access to information is crucial, and internet shutdowns only worsen the situation, hindering the flow of vital news and endangering the safety of citizens.

"We believe in an open and connected Africa, where the right to express, share, and access information is safeguarded for the greater good of society."

The lawsuit comes at a time when President Macky Sall has postponed general elections that were due on February 25.

After a parliamentary vote that excluded the opposition, the elections are now set for December 15.

Hence, the appeal seeks temporary measures to protect Senegalese citizens against further shutdowns in the lead-up to the presidential election.

There's hope that the courts will rule in favour of the applicants because in the past they had ruled against internet shutdowns in Togo and Guinea.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in response to the lawsuit said: "The internet is crucial for journalists to work freely and safely, and for the public to access information." –