Editing Politics of Mauritius (section)

====2024 Missie Moustass audio leaks====
{{Main article|Mauritius Social Media Ban 2024}}
In October 2024, weeks ahead of the general elections, an anonymous Facebook account by the name of Missie Moustass (Mauritian Creole for "Mr Mustache") released audio recordings allegedly made by the sitting government on political adversaries, journalists, diplomats, and lawyers. These recordings consisted of phone calls made over WhatsApp, as well as traditional mobile. Shortly after this series of leaks, the Facebook account was taken down.<ref>{{cite web |last=Moonesamy |first=S. |date=22 November 2024 |title=Mauritius Social Media Ban |url=https://www.elandsys.com/~sm/mauritius-social-media-ban.html |access-date=30 December 2024}}</ref> However, an account of the same name was then created on TikTok where the previous audio leaks were reposted, as well as new ones. Some of the people whose phone calls were recorded and subsequently released confirmed their validity, and that those conversations had indeed happened.<ref name="Missie Moustass: victims confirm conversations">{{Cite web|date=19 October 2024|title=L’écoute téléphonique à Maurice confirmée par "Missie Moustass"|url=https://lexpress.mu/s/lecoute-telephonique-a-maurice-confirmee-par-missie-moustass-539345|publisher=[[L'Express.mu]]}}</ref>

Eventually, the TikTok account was also blocked, after which Missie Moustass created a YouTube Account,<!--https://youtube.com/@missiemoustass?si=vHKhI7EvS2xBTAYJ--> which remained active afterwards. On 1 November 2024, Mauritius suspended access to social media platforms just 10 days before national elections, citing national security concerns amid a scandal involving leaked phone recordings of politicians. Opposition leaders condemned the move as an attack on freedom of expression and a desperate tactic by the ruling party ahead of the [[2024 Mauritian general election|November 10 election]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-01 |title=Île Maurice: les réseaux sociaux coupés à dix jours des élections, sur fond de scandale d'écoutes téléphoniques |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/ile-maurice-les-reseaux-sociaux-coupes-a-dix-jours-des-elections-sur-fond-de-scandale-d-ecoutes-telephoniques-20241101 |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=Le Figaro |language=fr}}</ref>