Internet shutdown in Eswatini challenged in the High Court

According to a news report, the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) has supported the filing of an urgent application initiated by a private citizen, Melusi Silemane, in a suit before the Eswatini High Court titled Melusi Silemane v MTN Eswatini, Eswatini Mobile and Others. The application seeks to challenge the internet shutdown in the country ordered by the Eswatini Communications Commission which allegedly directed network providers, Eswatini Post and Telecommunications, MTN Eswatini and Eswatini Mobile (the Respondents) to turn off internet connectivity to limit the rate of mobilization for the protests currently taking place in the country. According to the report, lawyers of the respondents proposed to turn on access with limitations on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. This was opposed by lawyers for the applicant, who saw the proposal as one that goes to endorse the infringement of the fundamental human right of freedom of expression and information.