Ugandans voted on January 14 amidst violence against civil society activists and members of the political opposition. Voters also endured a mass internet shutdown despite pressure from the international community to refrain from such actions, like AccessNow’s open letter calling for Uganda’s government to ensure that voters would have open, accessible, and secure internet access. NetBlocks reported on the day of Uganda’s election that the government had restricted social media and the country had experienced an internet blackout. Netblock’s report also revealed that the Uganda Communications Commission ordered social media restrictions ahead of the election.

To read AccessNow’s open letter, click here. To learn more about Uganda’s internet blackout, click here.