The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius blocked access to social media on Friday, just days before general elections, as tensions rose over a wire-tapping scandal.
Mauritius is troubled by the release of secret recordings of phone calls of politicians, journalists, civil society members and even foreign diplomats, which began surfacing online last month.
On Friday, Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth’s office said it had ordered internet service providers to block access to the most widely used social network.
According to telecom operator EMTEL, this interruption is going to last till November 11, the next day of the elections.
“Following the publication of certain audio tracks on social media, there is a real risk that the national security and integrity of our Republic and that of our international partners could be compromised,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
Internet governance watchdog NetBlocks confirmed that Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X were inaccessible.
Sherry Singh, the former CEO of Mauritius Telecom, was arrested on Friday along with three other suspects as part of an investigation into the leaks, police sources told AFP. Details of the charges were not immediately available.
The leaked recordings were mainly released on TikTok by an account named Missy Mustache (Mr. Mustache).
Attempts were made to block the account, but it soon resurfaced elsewhere and is releasing recordings almost daily.
One of the biggest shockers was the incident in which the Police Commissioner asked a forensic doctor to change the report of a man who died after being beaten in police custody. A judicial inquiry into the death was launched following the leak.
It appears that private calls of British High Commissioner Charlotte Pierre have also been leaked.
The sudden ban on social media was widely condemned by the opposition and has become a major challenge for local media and political parties, which rely heavily on Facebook and other online outlets.
“It is shocking, revolting and unacceptable. It is a sign of panic,” said Paul Berenger, one of the leaders of the opposition Alliance for Change coalition.
He said, “We are dealing with people who are dangerous to the country. Lawyers are working on what can be done legally. We will move very quickly at the legal and political level.”
Jugnauth is seeking re-election as head of the Militant Socialist Movement.
He inherited the prime ministership after his father’s death in 2017 and won elections for his coalition two years later.
“This is the last desperate act of a chaotic regime,” said Nando Bodha, head of the opposition group Linien Reform.
“This is a direct attack on the fundamental rights of citizens guaranteed by the Constitution, including freedom of expression,” he said. He sought intervention from the Election Commission to ensure “free and fair” elections.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
