VOA常速英语:Keep the Internet Up and Running(翻译)

The growing trend of intentional shutdowns of the Internet and mobile networks threaten Internet freedom.
蓄意关闭互联网和移动网络的行为层出不穷，已威胁到网络自由。

According to estimates, some 25 governments on almost every continent have intentionally prevented or disrupted access to such networks more than fifty times since the beginning of 2016,a rate of at least once every six days.
据估计，分布在各洲的约25个国家政府曾蓄意阻止或中断网络连接，自2016年伊始，此类事件已出现五十多次，频率最低保持在6天一次。

The United States earlier this year joined the consensus at the United Nations Human Rights Council in passing a resolution condemning intentional disruptions of access to or dissemination of information online,in violation of human rights law.
今年年初，美国同联合国人权理事会达成共识，通过了谴责蓄意中断网络连接、阻止网络信息传播的决议，理由是违反了人权法。

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Tom Malinowski noted that this Internet freedom resolution echoes a Freedom Online Conference joint statement from 2011 that labeled “mandatory blocking” of social networking technologies and platforms to be “an extreme measure” strictly subject to human rights law.
负责民主、人权和劳工事务的美国助理国务卿汤姆·马里诺斯基指出，互联网自由决议响应了自由在线大会的联合声明，从2011年起，将社交网络技术和平台的“强制性阻止”标记为严格遵守人权法的“极端措施”。

These network disruptions have a major economic impact.
网络中断对经济有着巨大影响。

A Brookings Institution report estimates Ethiopia suffered an $8.5 million loss for an April Internet shutdown.
据布鲁金斯学会报道估计，四月份的互联网关闭使埃塞俄比亚遭受了850万美元的损失。

More recently, in October, Ethiopia initiated a new shutdown as part of the government’s ongoing state of emergency,which may have cost the Ethiopian economy just under half-a-million U.S. dollars a day in lost GDP.
而近期，就在10月份，埃塞俄比亚政府进入持续紧急状态，开始了新一轮网络关闭，这一举动可能会使埃塞俄比亚GDP每日损失50万美元左右。

It is particularly alarming that elections-related Internet shutdowns are becoming increasingly common.
尤其令人震惊的是，与选举相关的互联网关闭越来越常见。

In February, the government of Uganda ordered mobile phone and Internet service providers to block access to social media sites on the day of contested national elections.
二月，乌干达政府要求手机网络和互联网服务提供商阻止用户对社交媒体网站的访问，时间正是在进行有争议的全国大选之日。

Weeks later, the government of the Republic of Congo ordered a nationwide shutdown of mobile phone networks in the lead up to national elections.
几周之后，刚果共和国政府要求在进行全国选举之前，停止全国范围内的手机网络服务。

But not all the news is bad.
但是也有好消息。

In August, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama publicly reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to protect freedom of expression online and refrain from restricting social media use in the lead up to national elections in December.
八月，加纳总统约翰·德拉马尼·马哈马公开重申加纳承诺保护网络言论自由，并且在十二月大选之前，不会限制社交媒体使用。

The United States government commends the initiative taken by Ghana to reaffirm its support of human rights online.
美国政府高度赞赏加纳重申支持网络人权的倡议。

The U.S. urges the government of Ethiopia to follow suit and restore access to the global Internet for all its citizens.
美国敦促埃塞尔比亚政府跟随加纳的步伐，恢复所有公民对互联网的访问。

Likewise, all governments must protect and promote the rights to freedom of expression and association as guaranteed under international human rights commitments.
同样，所有政府都必须保护和促进国际人权承诺保障的言论自由权和结社自由权。