This week marks a year since the government of Equatorial Guinea enforced a digital blackout on Annobón, its smallest province, leaving over 5,300 residents disconnected from the world. The ongoing internet shutdown continues to isolate the island’s population even as reports of human rights abuses persist. Advocacy groups, including Access Now, urge authorities to restore full internet access immediately, highlighting the shutdown’s damaging impact on communication, access to information, and fundamental rights. The situation in Annobón is a stark reminder of the broader fight against digital repression recent weeks have also seen renewed internet blockages in Togo coupled with violent crackdowns on dissent, drawing global condemnation and calls for digital rights protections.
Source:
“A grim milestone for Annobón,” Access Now Express, July 18, 2025.