Thursday, April 17, 2025: As Côte d’Ivoire approaches its 2025 General Elections in October, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) expresses deep concern over escalating digital rights violations, including abusive surveillance, targeted arrests of cyber activists, potential internet access restrictions, and persistent disparities in information access. The organisation notes that these practices severely undermine online freedom of expression and citizens’ participation in the electoral process.

In August 2024, Mamadou Traoré, a member of the opposition movement Générations et Peuples Solidaires (GPS), was arrested for critical Facebook posts and sentenced to two years in prison for “spreading false news” and “disturbing public order.” ​That same month, Kando Soumahoro, a GPS member, received a two-year prison sentence for signing a joint political declaration, accused of “illegal maintenance of a political party” and “disturbing public order.” 

In October 2024, Charles Rodel Dosso, deputy secretary-general of the Parti des Peuples Africains-Côte d’Ivoire (PPA-CI), was arrested without a judicial warrant for encouraging a protest against the high cost of living. On September 13, 2024, 25 citizen platform Agir pour le Peuple (AGIP) members were arrested during a peaceful protest in Abidjan. Sixteen were sentenced to six months in prison for “disturbing public order.” The Secretary-General, Armand Krikpeu, faces up to 20 years in prison. In October 2024, the government dissolved all student union associations, including the Fédération Estudiantine et Scolaire de Côte d’Ivoire (FESCI), following violent incidents on university campuses. Seventeen members, including Secretary-General Sié Kambou, were arrested.

In June 2024, the Ivorian government launched the “Stop aux sorciers numériques” campaign under the “En ligne tous responsables” initiative to combat online disinformation. While this reflects a commitment to regulating the digital space, concerns arise over potential misuse to restrict freedom of expression and monitor citizens’ online activities.​

Despite efforts to improve digital infrastructure, significant disparities persist between urban and rural areas, limiting equitable access to information and essential digital services.​ In light of these, Paradigm Initiative outlines the following recommendations to the different stakeholders involved in the electoral process:

To the Government of Côte d’Ivoire:

• Ensure uninterrupted internet access and refrain from shutdown or unjustified restrictions during the electoral process.​
  
• Guarantee that initiatives to combat disinformation do not infringe upon citizens’ rights to freedom of expression and access to information.​
  
• Facilitate transparent and inclusive electoral processes, allowing for online discussions and debates.​
  
• Refrain from arbitrary arrests and protect individuals’ rights to peaceful assembly and protest.​ 

To the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI):

• Provide timely and unrestricted access to the definitive electoral list for all stakeholders, including political parties and civil society organisations.​
  
• Ensure the reliability and functionality of digital tools used in the electoral process, including registration equipment and communication platforms.​
  
• Implement robust training programmes for electoral agents on digital tools and platforms to enhance efficiency and transparency.​
  

To Media and Journalists:

• Adopt ethical reporting practices, avoiding the dissemination of hate speech and disinformation.​
  
• Engage in fact-checking initiatives and promote digital literacy to empower citizens in discerning credible information.​
  

To Civil Society Organizations:

• Engage in active monitoring of the electoral process, documenting and reporting any violations of digital rights.​
  
• Advocate for policies that protect online freedoms and engage in proactive actions to prevent potential violations.​
  

To International Partners and Technology Platforms:

• Support local efforts in promoting digital rights and countering disinformation through capacity-building and resource allocation.​
  
• Collaborate with local stakeholders to develop context-specific strategies that address the challenges of disinformation without compromising fundamental rights.​
  

Paradigm Initiative remains committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that the digital space in Côte d’Ivoire remains open, inclusive, and respectful of human rights, especially during this critical electoral period.

About PIN

Paradigm Initiative (PIN) connects under-served young Africans with digital opportunities and ensures the protection of their rights. We have worked in communities across Nigeria since 2007 and across Africa since 2017, building experience, community trust, and an organisational culture that positions us as a leading non-profit in ICT for Development and digital rights on the continent.

Across our regional offices in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and beyond, we have impacted more than 150,000 youth with improved livelihoods through our digital inclusion and digital rights programmes. Our programmes include Life Skills, ICT Skills. Financial Readiness and Entrepreneurship (LIFE) training programme, a digital readiness workshop for youth, and life at school club programme.

We have also built online platforms that educate and serve as safe spaces for reporting digital rights violations. These mediums, in the form of reports, short films, and educational online platforms, include Ayeta, Londa, and Ripoti.