- On Monday night, Haacaaluu Hundeessaa, an Ethiopian singer and activist, was shot dead.
- The murder sparked protests, and since Monday more than 80 people have died.
- On Tuesday, the Ethiopian government imposed a general shutdown of the Internet, cutting connectivity for the country’s population of 102 million people.
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The population of 102 million Ethiopians is suffering from a government-sanctioned internet blackout after a popular musician was killed on Monday night.
Haacaaluu Hundeessaa, a popular singer and activist, was shot dead on Monday night in Addis Ababa.
The death sparked numerous protests demanding justice for his death. On Tuesday, June 30 at 9 a.m. local time, the Ethiopian government closed the Internet across the country, according to the non-profit organization Access Now.
Hundeessaa was Oromo, an ethnic group that has historically been repressed. His music became the soundtrack to a political shift that led to the replacement of the nation’s last prime minister.
“This shutdown comes at a time when the country is mourning the loss of a beloved musician and brave activist, and millions are calling for justice for Haacaaluu,” said Berhan Taye, senior policy analyst and world leader on internet shutdowns. in Access Now.
“Access to credible information is essential in times of crisis and emergency, and this current shutdown of the internet is causing more confusion, powerlessness and anxiety among Ethiopians and the diaspora,” he added. As of July 1, Ethiopia had 5,846 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 103 deaths.
More than 80 people were killed in the protests and on Wednesday the army was deployed in Addis Ababa Reuters reports. A regional police commissioner said Wednesday that of this number 78 were civilians, and three belonged to the security forces.
The Ethiopian government frequently deploys the internet shutdown, and in 2019 the country accumulated 274 hours of internet blackouts according to Top10VPN research. Access Now said in a statement that the closings have become an “access tool for authorities to silence riots and activism.”
