Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has joined the #KeepItOn Coalition, a global network of more than 345 organisations across 105 countries, in issuing an urgent demand to the government of Gabon to immediately reverse its orders to shut down social media in the country indefinitely. MRA, the Coalition and other signatories to the call described the directive as a gross violation of national and international human rights frameworks that must not be allowed to continue.
In a televised announcement on February 17, 2026, Jean-Claude Mendome, spokesperson for the High Authority for Communication (HAC) of Gabon, announced the immediate suspension of social networks to prevent the “spread of false information.”
The spokesperson claimed the measures were necessary to protect national unity and prevent social conflict.
According to the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), as of February 18, 2026, access to major social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, is being blocked in the country.
The directive was issued amid ongoing anti-government protests and a labour strike in Gabon.
In a joint statement by members of the #KeepItOn coalition, which was endorsed by MRA, they called on the government of Gabon, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other relevant actors to restore access to social media.
Specifically, they called on the Gabonese government to immediately revoke the shutdown directive, restore access, and refrain from imposing network disruptions in the future.; They also urged three telecommunications and Internet service providers, Moov Gabon, Gabon Telecom, and Airtel Gabon, to stop enforcing shutdown orders, push back against illegal government directives, and uphold their duty to respect people’s rights in Gabon.
According to the Coalition, “Restricting access to critical digital platforms in times of uncertainty stifles the freedom of expression and the right to access information. These platforms not only facilitate social communications, but they also serve as platforms for economic empowerment. Additionally, evidence shows that blocking access to vital communication platforms amplifies the spread of misinformation.”
The coalition said it has documented multiple incidents of shutdowns in Gabon in the past, most recently during the August 2023 elections.
It contended that “Internet shutdowns contravene national and international legal frameworks”, citing Article 1(2) of the Constitution of Gabon, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression, and international instruments to which Gabon is a signatory, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which “similarly make express provision for these rights.”
The coalition argued that, although the right to freedom of expression is not absolute, its limitation must be necessary and proportionate, as asserted by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee in General Comment No.34.
It stressed that telecommunication companies have a duty to uphold human rights and undertake proactive steps to mitigate rights-violating practices such as internet shutdowns, citing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which provide guidelines on how companies can promote human rights due to their unique position between authorities and the end user.
Other signatories to the statement include Access Now, the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), the Africa Freedom of Information Center (AFIC), the Africa Open Data and Internet Research Foundation (AODIRF), Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Others include the International Press Centre (IPC), the International Press Institute (IPI), the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), Paradigm Initiative (PIN), the Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, and the West African Digital Rights Defenders Coalition.
