Up to 15 years in prison for using Skype in Ethiopia

Direct video contact and conversation between interlocutors via the "Skype" internet connection has been prohibited in Ethiopia since May 24, and anyone who violates the new law faces up to 15 years in prison, Al Jazeera television reported.

A representative of the government in Ethiopia said that the ban on the use of communication via the Internet also applies to the communication service of the world's most famous search engine, Google.

Speaking about the new law, the authorities in Ethiopia said that the ban on the use of Skype is justified because it "contributes to the strengthening of national security and ensures the monopoly of domestic telecommunications companies".

Approval of licenses

Experts from the Techcranch company explain that this law provides the right to the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technologies to grant licenses to all non-state companies that import foreign equipment for broadcasting information.

"Reporters Without Borders" announced that the only Internet provider in Ethiopia, the state company "Ethio-telecom", has the ability to allow some users to anonymously enter the Internet and use Skype, although this is prohibited for other providers.