Thirteen civil society organisations warn against internet shutdowns ahead of The Gambia’s 2026 elections
Thirteen civil society organisations have called on Gambian authorities, the electoral commission, and telecom operators to protect internet access, data rights, and digital freedoms during the 2026 electoral cycle.
Paradigm Initiative and 12 civil society organisations have issued a joint communique calling for stronger digital rights protections ahead of The Gambia’s 2026 elections.
The statement warns against internet shutdowns, surveillance, arbitrary device seizures, and other digital measures that could affect transparency, public participation, and access to information during the electoral period.
The communique followed a Digital Rights and Elections in Africa Monitor engagement in Banjul. The event was organised by Paradigm Initiative in partnership with Give1Project Gambia.
The engagement introduced civil society actors, journalists, and researchers to the DREAM Toolkit. The toolkit is designed to support monitoring of digital threats during elections. The discussions focused on four areas: internet shutdowns, data protection and biometrics, surveillance and arbitrary seizures, and information integrity and deepfakes.
An internet shutdown during an election can prevent voters, journalists, observers, and political actors from sharing or receiving information. It can also limit incident reporting, disrupt election monitoring, and reduce public scrutiny of official processes.
The organisations called on the Gambian government, the Independent Electoral Commission, and telecommunications operators to keep the internet open, secure, and accessible throughout the electoral cycle. They also urged all stakeholders to protect digital inclusion and allow citizens to participate in the democratic process without interference.
Muhammed Bello Buhari, Programmes Officer at Paradigm Initiative, said an election-related internet shutdown would be ‘a direct assault on the democratic process and transparency.’ He said civil society groups in The Gambia would monitor the digital environment and reject any form of digital authoritarianism in 2026.
The communique refers to protections under Chapter IV of The Gambia’s 1997 Constitution, the Personal Data Protection and Privacy Act of 2025, and African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Resolution 580 on internet shutdowns and elections.
The organisations also committed to monitoring the digital landscape during the electoral cycle. They said they would use Paradigm Initiative’s DREAM Toolkit methodology and the Ripoti platform to document, verify, and expose attempts to undermine the democratic process through digital means.
