The Internet is Gradually Being Restored to Sudan

Two weeks ago, after over a month-long internet blackout that followed the deadly crackdown by the military and resulted in the deaths of over 100 Sudanese protesters, one individual was granted access to the internet by the courts. However, recently the same courts have now ordered telecoms providers Zain, MTN and Sudani to restore internet access to the entire country, according to Aljazeera.

Yesterday, the courts ordered an end to the internet blackout after Khartoum-based lawyer, Abdelazim al-Hassan, challenged the matter. The internet was initially only returned to fixed landlines and thus Hassan further challenged that the ruling be extended to include 3G and 4G services on mobile phones.

At a news conference, Hassan said, "I returned to court and said that numerous clients of Zain and other telecom companies were impacted due to the cut." He added that, "Today, the court issued an order to Zain, MTN and Sudani to restore their mobile internet services."

A month ago, General Shamseddine Kabbashi, the spokesperson for the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) expressed the military's concern over social media and the alleged threat it posed to the country saying, "Regarding social media, we see during this period that it represents a threat for the security of the country and we will not allow that."

Sudan continues to be engrossed in protests by civilians who want the TMC to transfer power to them following the ousting of President Omar al-Bashir back in April.