The UN has urged Ethiopia to clamp down on shutting down the internet in the country. The call was made by its Special Rapporteur on Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, David Kaye.
Shutting down the internet is a rampant incidence in Ethiopia. The country in 2019 alone had shut down the internet 9 times. This came from varieties of flimsy excuses like the writing of national exams, public protests, etc.
Meanwhile, the country also shut down the internet on Thursday, the 5th of Dec due to an alleged cyberattack targeting financial institutions in the country. The incessant internet shut down led to the response of the UN expert.
Kaye noted that the constant internet shut down violates the right to freedom of opinion and expression of the citizenry. He, therefore, urged the Ethiopian government to use the internet as a veritable part of the development and not a tool to drive home a point.
See Also: Ethiopia Shutdown Internet Access Again due to a Coup Attempt
Meanwhile, Kaye has called for the redraft of the Computer Crime Proclamation Bill (Hate Speech) that was approved by the Ethiopian cabinet.
The bill, if made public, will clamp down on online activities, especially social media and gag citizens from expressing their opinion in the wake of the 2020 election.
The need to promote freedom of speech and the internet has become super imperative in Africa. We hope that most African countries will reconsider their stance on hate speech and the clamping down of social media activities.