Sudan

End the practice of internet shutdowns and ensure that internet restrictions are consistent with fundamental norms of necessity and proportionality.

Sudan is located in northeast Africa and has a population of 46 million people. A 2021 military coup upended the country’s shaky transition to civilian rule, derailing democratic and human rights reforms. Since then the military authorities and security forces waged a crackdown on protesters, dissidents, human rights defenders and civil society. Digital rights protection faces a number of challenges. The Cybercrimes Act 2007 criminalizes, among others, defamation, breach of public order and morality, which attract a prison sentence, fine or both. Defamation is a crime under the Criminal Act of 1991. Additionally, Sudan has a record of internet shutdowns, usually imposed by military authorities during protests, and most recently to prevent cheating in exams. When it comes to privacy, there is no data protection law or authority to regulate the collection, storage and use of personal data, which leaves data control prone to abuse at the discretion of the state and private actors like telecoms.

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  33.6%

  Households with internet access in 2017

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  28%

  Individuals using internet in 2020

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  0

  Fixed Broadband Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in 2020

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  151/180

  Press Freedom Ranking in 2022