Burundi shuts down Internet access

According to various reports including Accessnow, the government of Burundi ordered the shutdown of certain social media applications on the mobile internet beginning on April 27, 2015. The applications, including Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp, and Viber, continue to be blocked as of the morning of April 29, 2015 Central Africa Time.

The country of Burundi has been embroiled in riots and tension with the announcement of current President Pierre Nkurunziza from seeking another term.

Recently, Accessnow, submitted a letter to UN and African Union experts requesting their urgent intervention on the internet shutdown in Burundi.

The letter also urges action on the part of the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression (David Kaye), the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association (Maina Kiai), and the Rapporteur on Free Expression at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Faith Pansy Tlakula):

We humbly request that your Excellencies, in your vital position as Special Rapporteurs, make a joint statement or separate statements:

• declaring internet shutdowns to be a per se violation of the right to freedom of expression;
• declaring internet shutdowns to be a per se violation of the right to freedom of association when ordered during public demonstrations; and
• calling upon the government of Burundi to withdraw its order to telecommunications companies to shut down social media networks.