National shutdown
Following the disputed presidential elections in August 2020, the government of Belarus implemented a series of strategic internet disruptions to suppress mass protests and labor strikes demanding the resignation of President Alexander Lukashenko. The incident occurred during a critical escalation of civil mobilization, coinciding with large-scale walkouts at state-owned factories and key industrial enterprises across the country.
Unlike the total blackouts observed during the immediate post-election period, this phase was characterized by systematic network degradation and targeted filtering. Technical measurements indicated specific blocks on messaging platforms—most notably Telegram—and social media networks, alongside deliberate mobile data throttling in areas surrounding major industrial plants and protest hubs. These measures were designed to obstruct the coordination of factory strikes and prevent the real-time broadcasting of civil unrest.
- Total Duration 45 minutes
Belarus
- Population
- 9,085,991
Freedom House rates Internet freedom as Not Free
Other supporting information
Internet access was reportedly disrupted after President Alexander Lukashenko was booed by workers during his visit to a state-owned military truck factory, as video clips of the incident began to be shared online. The longtime leader is battling ongoing protests, said to be the largest in the country’s history, which began after he was re-elected earlier this month in what protesters say was a rigged election. Data from Oracle Internet Intelligence and the Center for Applied Internet Data Analysis corroborate local reports of network disruption.
ORACLE INTERNET INTELLIGENCE
CAIDA IODA
