Mauritius reverses ban on social media
Mauritius has lifted its 24-hour social media ban, which had blocked access to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X following a wire-tapping controversy. Initially intended to last until November 11, after the general election, the ban was reversed on Saturday by the Information and Communications Authority after consulting with “competent authorities.”
The government had imposed the ban due to leaked phone recordings involving politicians, journalists, civil society members, and even foreign diplomats, which began circulating online last month. Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth’s office justified the ban, citing concerns over “national security and integrity.”
The leaks, shared by an anonymous account known as Missie Moustass (Mr Moustache) on TikTok, include explosive allegations such as the police commissioner allegedly instructing a forensic doctor to alter a report regarding a death in police custody. This particular leak triggered a judicial inquiry. Other leaks involve private conversations of British High Commissioner Charlotte Pierre.
The ban sparked backlash from opposition parties and local media, who rely heavily on social media for communication and reporting. Jugnauth, seeking re-election as the leader of the Militant Socialist Movement, assumed office in 2017 after his father’s passing and was re-elected in 2019.
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