Gabon restores internet following military takeover

By Amindeh Blaise Atabong, Freelance Investigative Journalist
Johannesburg, 31 Aug 2023
President Ali Bongo, who is now under house arrest, imposed the state-wide blackout during elections last weekend.
President Ali Bongo, who is now under house arrest, imposed the state-wide blackout during elections last weekend.

Gabon's internet service has been largely restored after military officers took power.

President Ali Bongo, who is now under house arrest, imposed the state-wide blackout during elections last weekend.

According to NetBlocks, a global internet monitoring firm that evaluates connectivity and governance, "metrics show a partial restoration of internet connectivity in Gabon, days after a nationwide blackout was imposed during elections."

Following contentious elections on August 26 in which long-serving President Bongo sought re-election, Gabonese authorities blocked internet access as polling closed in an effort, they claim, to counter the spread of "calls for violence and false information" by the opposition.

The internet outage drew local and international condemnation, with internet rights organisations urging Gabonese authorities to restore service.

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