The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice has ruled that the government of Togo’s Internet shutdowns of 2017 were a violation of their plaintiffs’ right to freedom of expression. The plaintiffs include seven NGOs and one journalist, that were represented by Media Defense and Amnesty International. In September of 2017, the Togolese government restricted access to the Internet for days at a time during the 2017 demonstrations that called for constitutional reforms. The ruling requires the government to create a legal framework that complies with international standards to ensure that citizens have protection against future violations of their rights.

To learn more about ECOSWAS’s landmark decision, click here.