The government announced an immediate internet shutdown and a curfew from 7 p.m. Sunday evening until 6 a.m.
Gabonese went to the polls on Saturday August 26, 2023. It was in the context of the presidential, legislative and local elections. The poll experienced many delays and malfunctions, which caused a tense political situation during the day. According to several testimonies, the police presence was a little more visible. Security forces have been deployed in some service stations. The main opposition candidate, Albert Ondo Ossa, accused the government of fraud and, at the end of the day, the government announced an immediate internet shutdown and a curfew from this Sunday evening 7 p.m. 6 a.m. For the authorities, the shutdown of the internet serves to put an end to false information and calls for hatred. However, according to Qemal Affagnon, West Africa manager at Internet without borders, this measure mainly discredits the elections. Several Gabonese do not hide their apprehension, they are particularly afraid of the announcement of the results which could once again lead to the post-electoral crisis. We often see that in 2016, it was this announcement of the results that led to serious violence and therefore, this year, the population anticipated. Last Friday, it was pay day, many went to the stores to stock up and buy non-perishable foodstuffs in particular. According to RFI, the Gabonese authorities after these elections: the broadcasting of RFI and France 24 is temporarily suspended, as is the TV5 Monde channel. The Gabonese public television channel announced it on Saturday August 26, citing the High Authority for Communication.
