KAMPALA, Uganda — Amnesty International has urged Ugandan authorities to immediately lift restrictions on internet and mobile phone services imposed ahead of the country’s high-stakes general election, warning that the shutdown poses a serious threat to human rights and democratic participation.
The call follows a decision by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to indefinitely suspend internet services and restrict certain mobile phone operations beginning Tuesday evening.
The regulator said the measures would remain in force “until further notice.”
Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s East and Southern Africa Regional Director, condemned the move, describing it as a direct assault on freedom of expression and access to information.
“This indefinite internet shutdown is a brazen attack on the right to freedom of expression, which includes access to information,” Chagutah said.
“It is especially alarming coming just before a crucial election already marred by massive repression and an unprecedented crackdown on opposition parties and dissenting voices.”
According to Amnesty, blanket internet shutdowns are inherently disproportionate under international human rights law. The organization warned that such restrictions disrupt livelihoods, restrict mobility, and deny citizens access to vital election-related information.
“Cutting off internet access under the pretext of preventing misinformation or preserving national security violates human rights at a critical moment in Uganda,” Chagutah said.
“It creates an information vacuum and digital darkness that may provide cover for serious human rights violations.”
On Tuesday, the UCC directed telecommunications companies and internet service providers to suspend internet access, halt the sale and registration of new SIM cards, and stop outbound data roaming services.
The regulator said the measures were necessary to curb misinformation, prevent electoral fraud, and safeguard national security.
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks confirmed on Wednesday that Uganda was experiencing a widespread internet shutdown.
Uganda has a history of tightening digital access during election periods. During the 2021 general election, authorities imposed a week-long internet blackout amid protests and security operations that left dozens of people dead, according to human rights groups.
The current shutdown comes against a backdrop of increased pressure on civil society.
Just days earlier, the Uganda NGO Bureau suspended operating permits for at least six non-governmental organizations and froze their bank accounts, restricting their freedom of association.
Amnesty said the actions violate protections guaranteed under Uganda’s Constitution and international human rights law.
Earlier this month, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights also raised concerns over pre-election information restrictions in Uganda, citing harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and abuse of journalists.
