Saturday, 30 December 2017

Congo orders cuts to internet and SMS to stifle protests

Authoritarian leaders are fond of severing communications in a bid to hold on to power, and that tradition sadly isn't going away. The Democratic Republic of Congo's government has ordered telecoms to cut internet and SMS access ahead of planned mass protests against President Joseph Kabila, whose administration has continuously delayed elections to replace him. Telecom minister Emery Okundji told Reuters that it was a response to "violence that is being prepared," but people aren't buying that argument. Officials had already banned demonstrations, and the country has history of cutting communications and blocking social network access in a bid to quash dissent.

Source: Reuters


Congo orders cuts to internet and SMS to stifle protests posted first on http://ift.tt/1tUdcCk

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