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Warping the internet ahead of the vote In the 41 FOTN countries that held or prepared for nationwide elections, many governments resorted to online censorship or content manipulation, often in an effort to retain power. Serbia Progovernment media outlets spread content that falsely accused the opposition of buying votes ahead of the December 2023 elections. Pakistan Authorities used offline and online controls to repress the party of former prime minister Imran Khan, imprisoning its leaders and restricting access to connectivity and social media during its rallies. 25 People in 25 countries faced censorship during electoral periods 21 Progovernment commentators were active in 21 countries during electoral periods Venezuela Nicolas Maduro's regime blocked websites that listed polling locations during an opposition primary. Censorship intensified after the July 2024 presidential vote, which the ruling party manipulated. Certain territories that are assessed separately in Freedom House's Freedom in the World report are excluded from the relevant country assessments in FOTN, as conditions in territories differ significantly from those in the rest of the country. Zimbabwe Ahead of the August 2023 elections, commentators linked to the ruling party heaped abuse on impartial election observers. This infographic is from the Freedom on the Net 2024 report, as seen on www.freedomhouse.org