Internet Shutdowns

On 13 August, Internet services were again disrupted in Mauritania from 8:00-12:00 UTC. This follows two disruptions the day before all of which are coinciding with baccalaureate exams happening this week in the country. These recent shutdowns comes less than a month after Internet services were restored after a 23 day national Internet shutdown following post-election protests.

Internet services were disrupted twice in Mauritania on 12 August from 8:00-12:00 UTC and 15:00-19:00 UTC. The disruption coincided with baccalaureate exams happening that day. This recent shutdown comes less than a month after Internet services were restored after a 23 day national Internet shutdown following post-election protests.

After President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani won re-election for a second term, protests erupted across Mauritania. While we have not yet seen an official statement requiring networks to shutdown, data shows that mobile Internet networks were disrupted beginning in the early hours of 2 July 2024. Media reports and commentary on social media all indicate various degrees of a loss of connectivity. This would unfortunately not be the first time the current government has shut down the Internet amidst protests. Back in June 2023, mobile Internet was shut down for most of a week during protests against the government. Internet services returned to normal on 24 July.

The government of Mauritania shut down mobile Internet access on Wednesday, 1 June, after protests erupted around the country after the death of a young man, Omar Diop, in police custody. Fixed-lined connectivity continues to be available. Press reports indicate that this outage may go on for a couple of days, but we have not yet identified an official government statement.

Mobile Internet services were suspended in Mauritania on 6 March. The Minister of Equipment and Transport, El Nani Ould Ashrouga, was quoted on 9 March following a cabinet meeting that mobile Internet was suspended as part of measures to recapture four prisoners who had escaped central prison in Nouakchott, capital of Mauritania on 6 March. “Security trumps everything, and the Internet was cut on mobile networks only for that very reason,” said El Nani Ould Ashrouga. “This service will be restored whenever possible." While fixed Internet services remained working, mobile Internet is the primary mode for Mauritanian Internet users. Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact citizens' ability to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country or other countries.

According to a report by global Internet watchdog Netblocks, Mauritania went into a near-complete Internet blackout following contested presidential elections held on Saturday, 25th June. A real-time network measurement by Netblocks showed that the country had been disconnected with widespread mobile and fixed-line Internet disruptions amidst the election controversy.