Human Rights Watch: Uganda Internet Shutdown Violates Rights

Human Rights Watch called on Ugandan authorities to immediately restore full internet access and to refrain from imposing blanket shutdowns ahead of the January 2026 general elections.

• Main announcement/action: Human Rights Watch demands immediate restoration of full internet access and clear commitments against future shutdowns; the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) ordered all mobile network operators and internet service providers to suspend public internet access nationwide starting at 6 p.m. on January 13, 2026, blocking social media, web browsing, video streaming, personal email services, messaging applications, while leaving a narrow list for critical services (hospital systems, banking networks, tax platforms, utilities, electoral commission portal); the directive also halted SIM card sales and disabled outbound data roaming to One Network Area countries, and network measurement sources (Cloudflare Radar, IODA) confirmed a drop in internet traffic.

• Background and other details: The shutdown is part of a broader crackdown—the government ordered at least 10 NGOs to cease operations on January 12, 2026, and previously arrested activist Sarah Bireete on December 30, 2025; this follows 2016 and 2021 election-related shutdowns (including a five-day blackout in 2021 that preceded a continuing Facebook ban); international and regional bodies (African Union, East African Community, ACHPR) have called for an end to such practices; Human Rights Watch cites constitutional and international law (including article 9 of the African Charter) and urges telecoms to follow the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.