#KeepItOn: authorities must restore access in Goma and across the DRC

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We, the undersigned organizations, and members of the #KeepItOn coalition — a global network of over 334 human rights organizations from 105 countries working to end internet shutdowns — urgently demand that authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) stop imposing internet shutdowns in the country’s eastern provinces amid the ongoing conflict. 

Reports indicate that authorities shut down internet access in and around Goma, the capital of North Kivu, on January 23 as the rebel forces M23 advanced toward the city. Social media platforms X and Tiktok have also been reportedly blocked across the country. The recent escalation between the M23 and Congolese government forces has resulted in massive displacement of people, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and overwhelming the city’s infrastructure. As of February 1, more than seven hundred people had been killed and thousands wounded in the recent escalation, as per a government spokesperson.

As the conflict between rebels and army continues to escalate, people’s lives and human rights are increasingly at risk due to the destruction of country’s critical infrastructure and lack of availability of basic needs such as water and electricity. As noted by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), “without the full restoration of internet access, and given the security risks restricting humanitarian movements, the [humanitarian] response remains severely hindered and intervention capacities greatly reduced.”

Internet shutdowns during armed conflict endanger people’s lives and deny people access to critical, life-saving information. They also increase the likelihood of human rights violations going undocumented, as they limit people’s ability to record and report on abuses, allowing perpetrators to evade accountability. Moreover, internet shutdowns make it increasingly difficult for journalists to report from affected areas, undermining their essential role in keeping the public informed and enabling local and international audiences access credible, first-hand information. 

Internet shutdowns are disproportionate and violate human rights guaranteed under the Constitution of DRC, including Articles 23 and 24, which uphold freedom of expression and the right to access to information. The DRC is also a signatory to regional and international frameworks, such as the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both of which   explicitly protect the right to freedom of expression and access to information. In 2019, the ACHPR’s Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa called on states not to “engage in or condone any disruption of access to the internet and other digital technologies for segments of the public or an entire population.” Similarly, the 2016 African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Resolution on the Right to Freedom of Information and Expression on the Internet in Africa recognizes the nexus between human rights and connectivity, urging member states to guarantee and protect people’s rights to connect to the internet. 

Under the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, telecommunication companies operating in the DRC also have a duty to uphold human rights in their business practices. This includes ensuring that their services do not contribute to human rights abuses or exacerbate situations of harm. As such, companies like Airtel, Vodacom, and Orange who provide internet services in the region, have an explicit obligation to ensure that access to the internet through their networks remains open, uninterrupted, and secure — even in times of crisis and conflict. Any restrictions or disruptions to internet connectivity, especially during times of heightened violence, can contribute to violation of fundamental rights. 

The #KeepItOn coalition urges the government of the DRC, internet service providers in the country, and all relevant actors to uphold international human rights law during the ongoing conflict, ensure unfettered access to the internet in North Kivu and other affected areas, and refrain from imposing internet shutdowns in the future. 

Signatories: