Read in Spanish / leer en Español
Content note: This post contains reference to sexual violence and torture. Individual testimonies have been edited and anonymized for safety reasons.
On July 20, 2024, the government of Equatorial Guinea cut off mobile phone and internet services across the island of Annobón — plunging the country’s smallest province into a digital blackout, which has been ongoing for almost a year. The supposed justification for this internet shutdown? Ordinary people protesting the use of dynamite blasting that damaged their homes and land. Furthermore, as part of a violent crackdown against signatories of a letter supporting the protests, security forces arrested at least 16 people in a house-to-house swoop. Following subsequent crackdowns, 38 Annobon residents were arbitrarily detained in inhumane conditions, without due process or formal charges. At the time of publishing this post, 37 of these individuals had been granted clemency.
President Obiang Nguema’s regime has historically targeted the residents of Annobón by deploying a classic authoritarian playbook: arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions, torture and, most recently, internet shutdowns. The shutdown only exacerbates the already limited information flows in and out of Annobón; a result of the island’s geographical isolation and state control over its media. Prior to its most recent crackdown on human rights in Annobón, the government of Equatorial Guinea had begun the process of adopting a cybercrime bill that activists warned would worsen human rights violations, by allowing authorities to silence any opposing views, both online and off.
The impact of shutdowns on the people of Annobón
Internet shutdowns disrupt every aspect of people’s lives; from hampering healthcare delivery, impeding the ability to work and earn a living, and worsening systemic discrimination. Things are no different for the people of Annobón. The almost year-long shutdown has created uncertainty, psychological torment, and isolation, collectively punishing people on and off the island.
This post highlights the stories of people impacted by authorities’ decision to keep Annobón in the dark; just a few of the island’s 5,323 residents and their families abroad who will have to deal with the impact of this human rights violation for the rest of their lives, and whose fate should deeply concern those of us elsewhere.
How to push back against ongoing injustices in Annobón
The situation in Annobón demands an immediate response from the international community and human rights organizations. The crackdown on human rights and arbitrary detention of those opposinging the Obiang regime is unacceptable and a blatant disregard of national and international human rights standards. The ongoing internet shutdown, lack of access to information, and the deliberate isolation of the people of Annobón exacerbate the plight of an already oppressed community. It is important to remember that people in Annobón belong to a historically marginalized group of unrepresented people who face systemic risks and discrimination. From the Baloch people in Pakistan, to the Ahwazi people in Iran, and now the Annobonese, the suffering of such minority groups has often gone unnoticed by the international community — we cannot let this continue. What is happening in Annobón concerns us all. It is time for all relevant stakeholders to act immediately, to end systematic human rights violations in Annobón and hold the government to account, by demanding the full restoration of internet access and communications services across the island.
You too can join the fight to #KeepItOn in Annobón: sign and help amplify our petition demanding an end to the prolonged internet shutdown.