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Intelligence and Security Service are all securityagencies that have gone far beyond their core dutiesby censoring or spying on journalists and otherinformation providers.” 9Using its advanced technology and equipmenton 25 September 2013, the NISS disconnectedthe internet throughout the country for more than24 hours. Then, on the following days, the internetslowed down drastically. 10 The internationalmonitoring group Access wrote an open letter totelecom service providers in Sudan on 11 Octoberasking about the internet blackout, which states:“We write with serious concerns over reports of thedisruption of Sudan’s international internet connectivityon September 25 and 26 [when] a substantialportion of the country’s networks became unreachable,effectively removing Sudan from the broaderInternet at the height of protests in Khartoum. Thisshutdown occurred on all major data providers (…)and appears to have been the result of actions takenby the service providers.” 11During the internet blackout, many reportedthat even SMS messages were blocked. And servicessuch as tweeting via SMS were interrupted by thesole telecommunications provider that carries thisservice, Zain. 12 The authorities had done the same inJune 2012. According to Reporters Without Borders(RSF), at that time there was an eight-hour internetblackout during a gathering organised by the UmmaParty 13 that attracted thousands of people. Duringthese protests, the internet slowed down drasticallyon the night of 29 June, before a large protest wasannounced. 14 Sudanese news websites such as SudaneseOnline, Hurriyat and Al-Rakoba were shutdown and YouTube was blocked several times.The opposition parties accused the NISS of spyingand filtering opposition leaders’ phone calls,Twitter accounts, Facebook pages and emails. Accordingto Elterieg, a Sudanese online news site,the NISS established special filtering units in eachof the telecommunications companies in Sudan.These units are totally controlled by the NISS. 159 Reporters Without Borders. (2014). Enemies of the Internet 2014.12mars.rsf.org/2014-en/enemies-of-the-internet-2014-entities-atthe-heart-of-censorship-and-surveillance10 Reporters Without Borders (2013, September 30). All-outcensorship in response to anti-government protests. ReportersWithout Borders. en.rsf.org/sudan-all-out-censorship-in-responseto-30-09-2013,45248.html11 https://www.accessnow.org/page/-/Open%20Letter%20to%20Sudan%20Telcos.pdf12 Access letter to data providers, on file with Human Rights Watch,dated 11 October 2013.13 A political party led by Sudanese ex-prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi.14 Reporters Without Borders. (2014). Op. cit.15 www.altareeq.info/ar/control-the-internet-and-phones-openspaces-in-the-hands-of-the-security/The website mentioned that the NISS asked thecommunications companies to save SMS and onlinecommunications data for five years, instead of twoyears in the past.Despite this hostile environment, the blocking ofwebsites and the imposition of restrictions on differenttypes of media, Sudanese activists and humanrights defenders succeeded in organising, mobilisingthe people, cooperating and communicatingwith the international community, and reporting onmost of the violations that occurred during demonstrations.They used proxy programmes such as Torand Hotspot Shield to open blocked websites anddeveloped their digital skills to find secure ways toupload their images, videos, news and articles.Social media activists developed different measuresto protect themselves in case of detention.They informed close relatives or friends about theirFacebook and email passwords so that they couldchange them or delete the accounts in case of detention.These applications and platforms couldexpose them to torture or ill treatment by securityforces during detention. Other activists had morethan one Facebook page with different accounts inorder to confuse the authorities.On 27 May 2014 the NTC announced that it wasconducting technical studies on social networkingsites, particularly Facebook and WhatsApp, in abid to find ways to control their use in the country.Many observers believe that this is an attempt toprevent the leaking of information on governmentcorruption relating to senior figures. 16 By takingthese measures, the government can easily blockcitizens from online information and communicationwith the international community. This will freethe NISS’s hand to torture and harass journalists,online activists and human rights defenders withoutfear of punishment or the condemnation of theinternational community.On 19 May 2014 the minister of communications,in a report submitted to parliament, showed the difficultyin controlling Facebook and WhatsApp. Thereport explained that the Ministry of Culture andInformation in Khartoum state is seeking to blockFacebook and WhatsApp sites using advanced andsophisticated equipment, adding that the governmentwill continue its strategy and policy to controland suppress social media using different tools.Their aim is to legalise the blackout of social mediaand other websites. The government is trying toconvince the Sudanese that they are doing this to16 Sudan Tribune. (2014, May 27). Sudan looking into ways to controlFacebook and Whatsapp. Sudan Tribune. www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article51144protect the community from the negative impact ofsocial media, and content which goes against traditionsand religious beliefs.In 2012 the Sudanese authorities proposed anew media law, which seeks to control social mediaand online activities. The proposed law gives authoritiesthe power to ban journalists from writing,and to censor newspapers and internet content.The NISS Act (2010) gives security officerspower to spy, to intercept the communications ofany citizen without judicial permission, and to trackthem in real time. The act gives the NISS immunityfrom prosecution.ConclusionsThe crackdown against internet freedom and graveviolations of privacy rights pose a serious securitysituation for human rights defenders and onlinemedia activists. Because of mass surveillance,most of them are subject to detention, torture andill treatment by NISS officers. At the same timethere is no legislation protecting human rights andprivacy rights. Most journalists, social media activistsand human rights defenders lack awarenessof protection and digital security and have limitedknowledge of ways to stay digitally safe. To improvethe situation there is a genuine need to reform thecurrent legislation to be in line with human rightsstandards and the country’s constitution. There isalso a need to raise the capacity of human rights defenders,journalists and social media activists whenit comes to online protection and digital security.According to Reporters Without Borders, Sudanscores high in censorship – it is considered one ofthe 2014 “Enemies of the Internet”. Most of theinformation about freedom of expression and humanrights defenders is researched and publishedby international organisations such as ReportersWithout Borders, Human Rights Watch, FreedomHouse and Amnesty International, by regional humanrights organisations such as the East and Hornof Africa Human Rights Defenders Network and theAfrican Centre for Justice and Peace Studies, or bySudanese organisations in the diaspora and theirallies inside the country, such as JHR.Restrictions on NGOs limit their role in monitoringand documenting human rights violationsand internet censorship, as well as their abilityto develop capacity-building projects and trainingprogrammes for human rights defenders andactivists.Action stepsThe deterioration of the human rights situation andrestrictions on freedom of expression in Sudan asa result of the economic crisis and armed conflictin five countries in the region is a matter of concernand needs to be addressed at regional andinternational human rights platforms such as theUN Human Rights Council and the African Commissionon Human and Peoples’ Rights. According toactivists, regional and international pressure helpsadvocacy initiatives.Human rights organisations have for years useddifferent tools to mobilise available avenues toinform the world about gross violations of humanrights and freedom of expression in Sudan, and toask the state to fulfil its international and regionalhuman rights obligations. In 2015 Sudan will submitits second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) reportto the UN Human Rights Council. The governmentof Sudan should take serious steps to implementthe recommendations which were received in thefirst UPR process and accepted by Sudan. 17 Therecommendations include ratifying internationalhuman rights treaties; reviewing the institutionaland legislative framework to be in accordance withinternational human rights standards; reformingthe repressive Press and Publication Act of 2009and the 2007 IT Crime Act; and lifting restrictionson freedom of expression and censorship of theinternet.17 Statement made by Sudan under review at the HRC under item 6after the adoption of the UPR report on 16 March 2012.230 / Global Information Society Watch sudan / 231