Seychellois Firm Sues Mauritius Government over ‘Threat to Rule of Law’

An influential Seychellois company has launched a constitutional challenge against the Mauritian government, alleging that recent state actions against the African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) threaten the rule of law.

Cloud Innovation Ltd, a major member of AFRINIC, filed a complaint with the Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled for September 22, 2025.

The lawsuit claims that government decisions, including the declaration of AFRINIC as a “declared company” and the appointment of an inspector to probe its management, violate the Constitution and undermine the separation of powers.

Company claims state interference

Cloud Innovation, represented by senior legal figures including Senior Attorney Me Thierry Koenig, argues that the government’s actions are an attempt to “call into question judgements already delivered” and to create “a parallel system of justice.”

The firm is challenging Government Notice No. 1045 of 2025 and Proclamation No. 10 of 2025, which it contends were used to bypass ongoing legal disputes.

The complaint also takes issue with the temporary release of a Supreme Court judge to act as the inspector. The company claims this move directly impacts the “independence and security of tenure” of judges.

Strategic role of Cloud Innovation

In its filing, the company underscored its strategic importance, stating it has been allocated six million IP addresses, which are used by approximately 350 million people and power 1.5 million websites across 60 countries.

Cloud Innovation described itself as AFRINIC’s third-largest member, after Egypt and Morocco, and its top non-state individual member.

The firm said the IP resources it manages are comparable to those of global tech giants like Amazon and Google.

Cloud Innovation asserted that the state is acting as “judge, jury, and executioner,” and has asked the Supreme Court to nullify the contested measures and maintain the status quo pending a final judgment.

Source: Defi Media