On 15 October 2024, at the Forum on NGO participation in the 81st session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) in Banjul, ASF France, in collaboration with CITAD and Spaces for Change, held a round table discussion on the role of the ACHPR in promoting digital rights in Africa.

This discussion revealed the worrying rise in deliberate Internet blackouts, often implemented by governments in order to limit the flow of information, muzzle opposition and maintain control over the population in times of crisis. These blackouts represent a direct threat to fundamental rights on the continent.

Experts have highlighted the devastating consequences of these interruptions on freedom of expression, information and economic development. In 2023, 26 blackouts were reported in 14 African countries, with a particularly marked impact in Ethiopia, Sudan and Nigeria.

The e-RIGHTS project, supported by the European Union and Lille Avocats Solidarité, remains an essential tool for building the capacity of human rights defenders and journalists in the face of digital repression.

🔎 For more information, read the following article: https: //standard.gm/e-rights-project-partners-urge-stronger-protections-at-achpr-in-banjul-as-internet-shutdowns-and-digital-rights-violations-rise-across-africa/