On the morning of 6 July, Zimbabweans woke up to find that access to the popular mobile phone messaging service WhatsApp had been restricted. The blockage is suspected to be a move by authorities to stop the main communication tool of choice for protesters that have taken to the streets of Harare and suburbs this week in response to what they deem bad governance and a faltering economy
Government monopoly
Currently, the government is close to having a monopoly in the mobile telephone service industry haven taken over over the Telecel Mobile service company in 2015, increasing state-owned mobile service providers to two. This is viewed by many as part of a strategy to control the sector for both economic and political reasons.
Cyber Law coming up
Restrictions like the one in Zimbabwe are part of a global tendency of internet shutdowns and restrictions that pose a real threat to human rights everywhere. IMS is fighting internet shutdowns and restrictions together with Access Now and over 70 organisations worldwide through the campaign #KeepItOn.
Journalists arrested
Meanwhile, a number of journalists have been arrested while covering clashes between police and protestors in the poorer suburbs of Harare. Four journalists from Alpha Media Holdings that publishes Newsday, Standard and Zimbabwe Independent, were briefly detained on 6 July while covering protests. They were ordered to delete their photos of the protests before they were released.
