Amnesty International on Thursday called on Ethiopian authorities to restore access to social media networks including Facebook, TikTok and Youtube as a blockade on some platforms entered its second month. In a statement, Amnesty said the blockade clearly violated rights to freedom of expression and access to information and "further stains the country's already dismal record on media freedom". Internet censorship watchdogs including the Open Observatory of Network Interference and Access Now have also noted a blockade on social media networks since February 9. Amnesty said the blockage followed calls for street protests by leaders of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church after a group of rebel archbishops created a dissident synod. Ethiopian authorities have cut or throttled access to the internet and social media platforms many times in recent years.

Source: Ethiopian News March 09, 2023 20:42 UTC