Mauritius suspends access to social media ahead of parliamentary elections

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The government of Mauritius on Friday banned access to social media websites ahead of parliamentary elections later this month. The directive was announced by the national communications regulator, which said social media sites will be banned until Nov. 11, the day after the election, in which Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth is seeking a second term in office after he came into power in 2019. The unprecedented social media ban follows a wiretapping scandal which rocked the country last month when the recorded conversations of politicians, business people, journalists and members of the civil society were leaked on social media.