Zimbabwean minister's son arrested for using Starlink

[Hanno Labuschagne]

Zimbabwean minister's son arrested for using Starlink

A Zimbabwe politician’s son was arrested on charges of illegally possessing a Starlink terminal, a sign of the risks in countries where the SpaceX technology isn’t licensed.

Neville Mutsvangwa, the son of of women’s affairs and community development minister Monica Mutsvangwa, appeared in a Harare court on Friday on charges of violating the postal and telecommunications act, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe said in a social media post.

[Bloomberg]

 

[epah]

Good, they need to start arresting more people.

 

[Quicks]

The irony.

 

[deweyzeph]

You've got to be really dumb if you can't hide a Starlink dish.

 

[TrueSeeker]

There's a point where protectionism changes into isolationism and even a form of Luddism in extreme cases. Not a fun place to be.

 

[deweyzeph]

There's a point where protectionism changes into isolationism and even a form of Luddism in extreme cases. Not a fun place to be.

In Zimbabwe's case it's not because of protectionism, it's because of control. Zimbabwe is an authoritarian dictatorship, they want to be in complete control of all internet access in the country. An ISP that they have no control over and can't switch off if they want or need to scares them.

 

[Mirai]

There's a point where protectionism changes into isolationism and even a form of Luddism in extreme cases. Not a fun place to be.

It's an oppressive society where you can be arrested for not following censorship regulations. That's bollocks. I understand if he was downloading child porn but if he was merely using a device which was beyond the control of the regulator, then at worst its confiscation should have been punishment and a penalty for any local reseller.

 

[Mirai]

In Zimbabwe's case it's not because of protectionism, it's because of control. Zimbabwe is an authoritarian dictatorship, they want to be in complete control of all internet access in the country. An ISP that they have no control over and can't switch off if they want or need to scares them.

SA may head that way too.

 

[TrueSeeker]

In Zimbabwe's case it's not because of protectionism, it's because of control. Zimbabwe is an authoritarian dictatorship, they want to be in complete control of all internet access in the country. An ISP that they have no control over and can't switch off if they want or need to scares them.

Who knows for sure? Just another flavor of the same thing. I'm not even saying protectionism (for competitivity or control) is always the wrong answer. It really just seems to be the very wrong answer where rural African connectivity is concerned. Not much to debate - Not having access to decent internet is simply that vital these days. Can definitively say that it's negative.

 

[dualmeister]

 

[DapperDanMan]

And then just two weeks later ...

Zimbabwe approves Starlink

Zimbabwe approves Starlink The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has approved Starlink's licensing in the country.

mybroadband.co.za