| Sumario: | The internet has had an enormous impact on the social, political and economic lives of many people in Africa. One notable impact has been its ability to open up space for democratic participation. The internet has demonstrated its potential to enable the enjoyment of freedom of association, expression and opinion, which is essential for democratic participation. Yet access to these benefits is under threat, as many governments have responded by adopting draconian legislation, policies and practices aimed at suppressing democratic participation. The purpose of this paper is to examine the legality of various legislations, policies and practices that have been adopted by African states to regulate cyberspace, and to what extent they are consistent with the African Union's legal instruments. It proposes measures that the African continent can adopt to advance democracy through enabling access to cyberspace.
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