On the same day that the UN declared internet access a human right, Syria went off the grid. Seventy per cent of its networks were withdrawn from global routers over the course of half an hour. The country went dark as security forces opened fire on protestors.
Though Internet connection resumed the following day, suspicions were rife that connections had been disabled deliberately on a Friday — the day in the week favoured by activists due to large numbers of people already congregating for prayers. Another outage is anticipated today.
Such shutdowns have become a pattern, drawing special concern for the special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue. In his report to the UN, La Rue stresses the unique status of the internet. As the principal forum for dissent, it has become key to the self-determination of individuals and societies.
The recent uprisings in the Arab world illustrate as much. In Tunisia, Egypt and Bahrain, state authorities blocked Facebook and Twitter and cut internet access altogether. The motivation is obvious, given that social media not only consolidates protest but broadcasts it to the world.
According to Damascus-based dissident Yassin al-Haj Saleh, the internet 'is the most important and most secure means of contact between people'. Skype, for example, helps activists avoid monitored phone lines. Video reports are uploaded without interference from censors. Tweets fill in the gaps left by detained journalists. Hence, La Rue insists, the internet must be maintained at all times 'including during times of political unrest'.
He probably could have said 'especially during times of political unrest', for it is during such times that state instruments are brought heavily to bear on demonstrators. A 'kill-switch' that isolates a country from the rest of the world during upheaval is rather alarming. As a community, we count on the observation of third parties to inhibit or curtail violence, and bring perpetrators to justice.
La Rue is right to draw our attention to the increasing tendency to criminalise legitimate online expression. Over 100 bloggers were imprisoned last year on charges related to their content. He also points to state-sanctioned cyber-attacks on blogs and websites that are critical of those in power.
Apart from undermining political transparency, such moves contravene article 19 of