Civil society groups call for open internet ahead of The Gambia’s 2026 elections

A group of civil society organisations and digital rights advocates has issued a joint communiqué outlining demands aimed at safeguarding internet access, freedom of expression, and data protection ahead of The Gambia’s general elections scheduled for December 2026.

The statement was adopted during a meeting organised under the Digital Rights and Elections in Africa Monitor (DREAM) initiative in Banjul on 12 May 2026.

Among the organisations endorsing the communiqué are Paradigm Initiative, Give1 Gambia, the Gambia Press Union, and several other civil society and youth organisations.

The signatories called on the Gambian government and security agencies to refrain from imposing internet shutdowns, bandwidth restrictions, or social media blocking before, during, or after the election period. They argued that such measures could affect access to information, public oversight, and confidence in the electoral process.

The communiqué also urges the Independent Electoral Commission and the country’s Data Protection Authority to ensure transparency in the use of electoral technologies and to protect biometric voter information in accordance with the Personal Data Protection and Privacy Act adopted in 2025.

Telecommunications operators and internet service providers were also addressed in the statement. The organisations called on service providers to seek clear legal directives before implementing any restrictions on network access and to be transparent with the public regarding the source and nature of any disruptions.

The coalition further announced that it intends to monitor the digital environment throughout the electoral period using the DREAM Toolkit methodology and the Ripoti reporting platform. According to the communiqué, participating organisations will document and verify incidents affecting digital rights and election-related online activity during the run-up to the vote.