Internet Shutdown - Togo

From: CHITTESH SHAM <chittesh.sham_at_umail.uom.ac.mu>
Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2017 11:21:19 -0700


Hi all,


There is an internet shutdown in Togo. The government of Togo has shut down
internet services due to anti-governmental protests [1]. There seems to be
a rise in internet shutdowns, especially in the African region. Out of 56
global internet shutdowns, 11 of them were found in Africa. This showed a
50% increase compared to 2015.[2]


In Article 26 from Togo’s constitution it is mentioned that “Every person
has the freedom to express and to disseminate through speech, writing or
any other means, their opinions or the information which they possess,
within respect for the limits defined by the law.” [3]. Internet may be
defined as a means of communication, the fact that the government of Togo
is ordering an internet shutdown, is the government violating its
constitution or is it within the law ?

In 2016 there was a resolution made by the United Nations for “promotion,
protection and enjoyment of human rights on the internet” [4] was Togo in
favor of this resolution?


I got inspired by Ish’s blogpost [5] to use this as a case study and apply
it in the Mauritian context. Are there laws that would prevent citizens’
internet access in case of situations such as the one in Togo?


Sincerely,

Chittesh Sham.



[1] http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2017/09/07/netizen_report_togo_
government_shuts_down_internet_texting_as_protests_escalate.html

[2] http://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/august-
november-2017/uproar-over-internet-shutdowns

[3]https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Togo_2007?lang=en

[4]https://www.article19.org/data/files/Internet_Statement_Adopted.pdf

[5]https://hacklog.mu/internet-shutdown-in-togo/

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Received on Sun Sep 10 2017 - 18:21:39 PST

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