Amnesty International on Thursday called on the Pakistani authorities to refrain from online censorship and internet shutdowns, which restrict movement and the flow of timely information, particularly during protests in Balochistan.
The response came after the Pakistani government announced shutting down the mobile internet services in Balochistan on 6 August.
The government cited security as a reason for the shutdown, cutting off a population of more than 14 million from the most accessible way to connect to the internet. These shutdowns impact daily life, as well as protests and assemblies that are common in the province.
Yusra*, an activist and political organiser from Balochistan, shares her experience of navigating her work, protests, and daily life without the internet.
"Last July, there was news circulating that I had been killed following a deadly crackdown during a protest I was participating in. Due to internet and network shutdowns in the entire district, I was only able to connect with my family three days later to reassure them that I was still alive. Those three days were agonizing for them," she said.
She also said that when authorities announced and immediately suspended mobile internet services in Balochistan in early August, it didn't come as a surprise. Internet and network shutdowns have become part and parcel of living in Balochistan. The authorities can turn it on and off at will – it's almost as if the internet is like a lightbulb.
At least this time they bothered to notify us, because usually the internet is shut down without any warning. In a country like Pakistan, a majority of the population relies on mobile internet because setting up a broadband connection is often too expensive or the geographical reach of broadband infrastructure is limited, she added.
We couldn't make a simple phone call
The first time I experienced a complete mobile and internet shutdown was during a rally in Gwadar city. It was a gathering of thousands of people from across the province, coming together to demand an end to enforced disappearances and autonomy over resources for the people of Balochistan, Yusra said.
As soon as mobile and internet services were cut, we knew that the police crackdown was about to start. It was a blanket shutdown – not only was the internet suspended, we couldn't even make a simple phone call. This is the strongest tool the state has to stop our protests, she mentioned.
She also highlighted that Police brutality and crackdowns are difficult to document without the internet because you cannot do live coverage of use of force by security forces. Even when people make videos, their phones are confiscated, or they are detained and made to delete videos.
We don't feel safe anymore
These shutdowns have become so common that we now expect them. Even when my fellow organizers and I go to different towns and cities for smaller events or meetings, the internet is often shut down as soon as we arrive.
They say the internet has been shut down for security reasons, but whose security? We don't feel safer knowing we can't get in touch with our families or when we can't access information like the rest of the country.
The real reason behind shutting down the internet is to stop information from reaching the rest of Pakistan and the world. A few months ago, we organized an online seminar to talk about the human rights situation in Balochistan, but two hours before our event the internet in all Quetta city (the provincial capital of Balochistan) was shut down. We were forced to cancel the event.
In today's day and age, our entire lives are entangled with the internet. What about the home-run food business run by a woman in Quetta? She can no longer take orders or coordinate deliveries. What of students who have to submit assignments online? They can't meet their deadlines.
Coping with internet shutdowns
Over time, as internet shutdowns have become increasingly common, we have developed strategies to deal with them. As organizers of rallies and protests, we now have pre-determined designated areas to meet in case things escalate and we need to regroup, since we can't rely on our phones to communicate. In some areas, we have used loudspeakers in nearby mosques to announce safety instructions when the police start to use tear gas or live ammunition to disperse our protests.
During the Gwadar gathering, we would make videos of speeches and go to a nearby hospital that had WiFi to upload videos and pictures. Even then, as soon as the authorities learnt that we were doing this, the entire hospital was soon swarming with officials from security services. After that, we had to travel several hours just to upload a video or our press release.
Access to internet is a basic human right
Fifteen days after the announcement on 6 August, the government was ordered by the Balochistan High Court to restore mobile internet in the province. The court was hearing a petition that argued that the internet shutdown violated the right to freedom of expression, freedom of movement, and the right to life. Despite these orders, on 30 August, when we had planned several protests to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance, there was another mobile internet shutdown across the province, making it impossible for us to hold our gatherings.
Moving forward, I want to see an end to the wider crackdown on human rights in Balochistan. Access to the internet is a basic human right, especially in a place like Balochistan that has been neglected for so long. If the government wants to suspend the internet for security reasons, it must establish first that network shutdowns are effective and proportionate. They must also ensure that our daily lives are not disrupted in doing so.
*Name has been changed to ensure security.
Comments