Mauritius suspends social media until after election amid wiretapping scandal

Mauritius' communications regulator ordered all internet service providers to suspend access to social media platforms from Friday to November 11, a day after the general election, as the country reels from a wiretapping scandal.

About 20 conversations involving politicians, police, lawyers, journalists and members of civil society have been leaked on social media since mid-October, said media watchdog Reporters Without Borders.

The information and communication technologies authority said the temporary social media ban was in response to “illegal postings”.

The prime minister's office said the restriction was necessary to preserve the national security and integrity of the country after the publication of “certain” audio clips.

“A crisis committee is meeting to contain the existing risks as soon as possible,” said the office of Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.

Curtailing access to digital platforms would not only stifle democratic processes but also... restrict access to essential information and services.Internet Governance Forum and the Internet Society statement

Emtel, one of the three telecoms operators in the Indian Ocean country, said it was implementing the directive and “the user experience will be progressively disrupted.”

In the November 10 election, Jugnauth is looking to hold onto his Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) party's majority in parliament and give himself another five years in office.

Jugnauth and the police have previously claimed the leaked calls were manipulated using artificial intelligence.

In a joint statement two civil society groups, the Internet Governance Forum and the Internet Society, said the dangers of shutting down the internet far outweighed any perceived benefits.

“Curtailing access to digital platforms would not only stifle democratic processes but also harm the economy, disrupt businesses and restrict access to essential information and services,” the groups wrote.

Jugnauth became prime minister in 2017, when his father stepped down from the post.

Last year a British court sitting as the final court of appeal for Mauritius upheld Jugnauth's 2019 election win, rejecting an appeal by an opposition candidate who alleged it had been obtained through bribery and undue influence. 

Reuters