Internet Shutdowns

• Past

  National shutdown

  Sudan cut off Internet access for the third consecutive year as students took their national exams. Mobile operator Zain Sudan notified its customers of the disruption, and data compiled by Cloudflare showed national traffic dipping from 08:00 to 11:00 local time (UTC +2) on each exam day. Following this shutdown, the government again blocked Internet services at the end of the month, 30 June, as protesters marked the first anniversary of the military coup that derailed the country’s transition to civilian rule.

  Sudan

  • Start 13 June 2022 8:00 a.m.
  • End 13 June 2022 11:00 a.m.
  • Total Duration 3 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  Sudan cut off Internet access for the third consecutive year as students took their national exams. Mobile operator Zain Sudan notified its customers of the disruption, and data compiled by Cloudflare showed national traffic dipping from 08:00 to 11:00 local time (UTC +2) on each exam day. Following this shutdown, the government again blocked Internet services at the end of the month, 30 June, as protesters marked the first anniversary of the military coup that derailed the country’s transition to civilian rule.

  Sudan

  • Start 12 June 2022 8:00 a.m.
  • End 12 June 2022 11:00 a.m.
  • Total Duration 3 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  Sudan cut off Internet access for the third consecutive year as students took their national exams. Mobile operator Zain Sudan notified its customers of the disruption, and data compiled by Cloudflare showed national traffic dipping from 08:00 to 11:00 local time (UTC +2) on each exam day. Following this shutdown, the government again blocked Internet services at the end of the month, 30 June, as protesters marked the first anniversary of the military coup that derailed the country’s transition to civilian rule.

  Sudan

  • Start 11 June 2022 8:00 a.m.
  • End 11 June 2022 11:00 a.m.
  • Total Duration 3 hours

December 2021

• Past

  Regional shutdown

  Khartoum

  Internet services were again reportedly limited in Khartoum, Sudan on 30 December 2021 in response to further protests against the military and its ongoing coup. This recent event follows another report of an Internet shutdown on 25 December 2021. 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 in other countries.

  Sudan

  • Start 30 December 2021 7:30 a.m.
  • End 30 December 2021 6:30 p.m.
  • Total Duration 11 hours
• Past

  Regional shutdown

  Khartoum

  Internet services were reportedly suspended in Sudan's capital city, Khartoum, on 25 December 2021, ahead of planned protests against the military and its ongoing coup. 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 in other countries.

  Sudan

  • Start 25 December 2021 4:00 a.m.
  • End 25 December 2021 8:30 p.m.
  • Total Duration 16 hours

October 2021

• Past

  National shutdown

  Sudan’s military cut fixed and mobile Internet connectivity on 25 October 2021, after it seized power just ahead of the country’s general elections. Sudan was under a transitional authority after the ouster of Omar al-Bashir in 2019, and the military following its takeover declared a state of emergency as protesters took to the streets of the capital, Khartoum, in opposition to the coup. On 9 November, Khartoum’s District Court ordered ISPs to restore Internet access, but services only began to return after 25 days of blackout, on 18 November, prolonged by the insistence of the Telecommunications and Post Regulatory Authority for the shutdown to remain in place. Zain and MTN were the first to come back online, followed by Sudatel and later by other providers. Al Jazeera Arabic reported that the Internet blackout caused economic losses amounting to tens of millions of dollars per day, with telecommunications companies alone losing USD 6 million daily. Citizens resorted to roaming services on international SIM cards sent from overseas to get in touch with their loved ones.    

  Sudan

  • Start 25 October 2021 2:30 a.m.
  • End 18 November 2021 12:00 p.m.
  • Total Duration 45 days, 9 hours

July 2021

• Past

  National shutdown

  Internet services were interrupted for 3 hours at a time, from 08:00 to 11:00 local time (UTC +2) on 3 July 2021 for the duration of the secondary school exam period, with Cloudflare observing the largest drop in mobile Internet access. Sudan’s public prosecutor ordered Internet service providers (ISPs) to shut down mobile Internet connection upon the request of the Ministry of Education. This is the second year that Sudan cut off Internet services to prevent students from leaking exam questions. The shutdown sparked public outcry as banking, health, electronic payment and other services were disrupted during high transaction hours in the Sudanese working day.  

  Sudan

  • Start 3 July 2021 7:30 a.m.
  • End 3 July 2021 10:00 a.m.
  • Total Duration 2 hours

June 2021

• Past

  National shutdown

  Internet services were interrupted for 3 hours at a time, from 08:00 to 11:00 local time (UTC +2) on 30 June 2021 for the duration of the secondary school exam period, with Cloudflare observing the largest drop in mobile Internet access. Sudan’s public prosecutor ordered Internet service providers (ISPs) to shut down mobile Internet connection upon the request of the Ministry of Education. This is the second year that Sudan cut off Internet services to prevent students from leaking exam questions. The shutdown sparked public outcry as banking, health, electronic payment and other services were disrupted during high transaction hours in the Sudanese working day.  

  Sudan

  • Start 30 June 2021 7:30 a.m.
  • End 30 June 2021 10:00 a.m.
  • Total Duration 2 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  Internet services were interrupted for 3 hours at a time, from 08:00 to 11:00 local time (UTC +2) on 29 June 2021 for the duration of the secondary school exam period, with Cloudflare observing the largest drop in mobile Internet access. Sudan’s public prosecutor ordered Internet service providers (ISPs) to shut down mobile Internet connection upon the request of the Ministry of Education. This is the second year that Sudan cut off Internet services to prevent students from leaking exam questions. The shutdown sparked public outcry as banking, health, electronic payment and other services were disrupted during high transaction hours in the Sudanese working day.  

  Sudan

  • Start 29 June 2021 7:30 a.m.
  • End 29 June 2021 10:00 a.m.
  • Total Duration 2 hours
• Past

  National shutdown

  Internet services were interrupted for 3 hours at a time, from 08:00 to 11:00 local time (UTC +2) on 28 June 2021 for the duration of the secondary school exam period, with Cloudflare observing the largest drop in mobile Internet access. Sudan’s public prosecutor ordered Internet service providers (ISPs) to shut down mobile Internet connection upon the request of the Ministry of Education. This is the second year that Sudan cut off Internet services to prevent students from leaking exam questions. The shutdown sparked public outcry as banking, health, electronic payment and other services were disrupted during high transaction hours in the Sudanese working day.  

  Sudan

  • Start 28 June 2021 7:30 a.m.
  • End 28 June 2021 10:00 a.m.
  • Total Duration 2 hours