23 August 2019

The council ordered the shutdown after widespread protests broke out following the ousting of president Omar Al Bashir

Sudan’s ruling Transitional Military Council finally restored internet connectivity in mid-July following a shutdown that lasted over a month.

Users can now access the 3G and 4G data connections, as well as use social media platforms.

The council ordered the shutdown in June 2019 after widespread public protests broke out following the ousting of president Omar Al Bashir.

Councillor Shamseldin EL Kabbashi said the delay in restoring the internet was aimed at cementing the power sharing agreement that has been agreed between the council and the Alliance for Freedom and Change (AFC), a pro-democracy movement that had been organising protests

“We delayed the return of the internet in order to maintain the agreement,” said Kabbashi. “Soon a meeting will be called between the Transitional Military Council and AFC to unite the media discourse.” 

Khalid Omar, secretary general of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party, noted the development follows a court order in the case filed by lawyer Abdelazim Hassan and the Consumer Protection Association against the country’s telecom firms.

Omar added that the shutdown was a violation of people’s constitutional rights. “The most important thing in the decision of the return of the internet is that it came by judicial order,” he said. 

The blackouts, which began June 3rd , have resulted in a loss of access for mobile and fixed line connections, though connectivity had improved from 2–10% compared to normal levels.