Sudan: Government blocks social media as protests continue December 31 /update 12

Event

The Sudanese government blocked social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as of Monday, December 31, in an effort to calm ongoing anti-government protests in the country. Protests and clashes between demonstrators and security forces continued in Khartoum and other cities across the country on Monday, with security forces using tear gas to disperse protesters. There were also unconfirmed reports that security personnel used live ammunition. Protests are expected to continue in the coming days. Heightened security measures and localized transportation disruptions are to be expected around any demonstration sites, and further clashes between protesters and security forces are likely.

Context

Anti-government protests broke out on December 19 as hundreds of protesters gathered in major urban centers - notably in Atbara (Nile River state), Al-Qadarif (Al-Qadarif state), Port Sudan (Red Sea state), and Khartoum - initially to demand increased government transparency and the implementation of anti-inflation measures; their demands have since broadened to demand that President Omar al-Bashir, in power since 1989, step down. Curfews have been implemented in at least eight cities in response to the unrest, including in Kosti and Rabak (White Nile state), Al-Qadarif (Al-Qadarif state), Atbara, Al-Damir, and Berber (River Nile state), as well as in Dongola and Karima (Northern state). 

Advice

Individuals in Sudan are advised to monitor the situation, obey all instructions issued by their home government as well as those of the local authorities (including curfew orders), and avoid all protests due to the risk of violence.