Fermeture d'Internet

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.

Après la réélection du président Mohamed Ould Ghazouani pour un second mandat, des manifestations ont éclaté dans toute la Mauritanie. Bien que nous n'ayons pas encore vu de déclaration officielle demandant la fermeture des réseaux, les données montrent que les réseaux Internet mobiles ont été perturbés dès les premières heures du 2 juillet 2024. Les rapports des médias et les commentaires sur les médias sociaux indiquent tous des degrés divers de perte de connectivité. Ce n'est malheureusement pas la première fois que le gouvernement actuel coupe l'Internet à la suite de manifestations. En juin 2023, l'Internet mobile a été coupé pendant presque une semaine lors de manifestations contre le gouvernement. Les services Internet sont revenus à la normale le 24 juillet.

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.