January 20, 2006
Nepal. Phones cut off as police arrest activists
According to the FT, "Nepal's King Gyanendra cut off communications between Kathmandu and the rest of the world yesterday, imposing a fixed and mobile phone blackout as he arrested political leaders and human rights activists in a bid to clamp down on the pro-democracy movement".
"Human rights and party sources said about 100 people had been arrested and many others were in hiding.
Telephone services resumed after about three hours but mobile networks were still not functioning yesterday afternoon."
Portrait of King Gyanendra by K. K. Karmacharya.
This is not the first time this government has cut off communications. Related articles:
-- Nepal re-starts mobile phone service
-- Nepalese learn life without cell phones
-- Did Nepal violate Vienna Convention?
-- Limited two-way phone service in Nepal
-- Nepal remains cut off from the world
Related incidents in other countries:
-- Frequency blocking devices installed in North Korea
-- Cell phones jammed at Bush inauguration?
-- Indian government orders SMS jam to avoid outbreak during religious festival
-- Cellphone networks in Mumbai disabled their SMS service
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