IBRAHIM QUADRI
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the release of human rights activist, Dele Farotimi and other journalists in detention, saying intimidation and harassment of journalists and human rights activists must stop.
The two bodies made the call during a press conference on “Overcoming Challenges to Human Rights and Media Freedom in Nigeria,” to mark International Human Rights Day at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
The event, jointly organized by SERAP and NGE, and supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), brought together media executives, civil society organizations, human rights activists and key ministries, departments and agencies of government.
The statement which was jointly signed by the Deputy Director of SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare and General Secretary of NGE, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren was read by the latter.
While condemning attacks under the present administration, the statement noted, “According to the Center for Journalism Innovation and Development, press attackers have been verified to be 110 attacks in the year 2024.
“In comparison to the previous year, the press attackers between the first and third quarter of 2024 have surpassed that of the entire year in 2023.”
The statement added, “Somebody may just be tried in Sokoto for something and because you want to intimidate that journalist, you will file almost about one video suit against him, maybe in Lagos. You are suing the person who posted your case, it’s okay. So anytime the case is coming up, the person will have to spend money to come to Lagos to defend himself.
“So this is one of the strategies that some governments, agencies, or non-state actors are using to harass and intimidate journalists.”
The statement also called on the National Assembly to promptly review the cybercrime Act and other restrictive legislations and reverse them to bring them into line with Nigeria’s constitution and international human rights obligations
The statement further condemned, “Impunity for violation of the human rights of journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, and activists continue to seriously impede human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, media freedom, and discourage critical reporting by the media.
“We note that journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, and activists play an indispensable role in documenting and reporting on human rights violations.
An independent and diverse media that disseminates a wide range of information and ideas plays a critical role in supporting the functioning of a democratic society.
“Indeed, a free, uncensored and unhindered press of other media is essential in any society to ensure freedom of opinion and expression and the enjoyment of other human rights.
“Therefore, we call on Nigerian authorities at all levels to immediately and unconscionably release all journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, and activists who take stove for the peaceful exercise of human rights and doing their ultimate work, including activist Jembe Karatini, who is facing criminal reprimand and sarcasm charges.
“We therefore call on the Nigerian authorities to stop the threats of attacks against journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, and activists, and to stop detaining and imprisoning them solely for doing their job.
“We urge President Bola Tinubu and his government to publicly call on the Nigerian State Government, the Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services, DSS, to show respect for the rights of everyone in the country, including journalists, human rights defenders, and activists.
“We equally call on President Bola Tinubu and his government to ensure the prompt, thorough, impartial, transparent, and effective investigation of all allegations of human rights violations against journalists and other human rights defenders, and to ensure that those suspected to be responsible for these violations are brought to justice, as well as provide access to justice and effective remedies to victims.
“We are concerned about the escalating crackdown on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom, and the fragmented disregard for the rule of law by authorities at all levels.
“We note that the suppression of the press in recent times takes various forms, ranging from extradition to unlawful detentions, disappearances, malicious prosecution, and wrongful use of both legislation and law enforcement agencies.
“Nigeria, as a country, has a long and oppressive history of press-ganging and clampdown on media freedom, which is evidence of extensive state censorship of the media, and in some cases, the altered control of state-owned media houses.
“This position has not changed, despite almost 25 years of broken democratic rules in the fourth republic. The right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, and media freedom are guaranteed under the Nigeria Constitutions 1999 as amended, and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is subject to.
“However, we are concerned about the deteriorating situation of human rights and rule of law in the country, and longstanding impunity for violation of the rights of journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, and activists.
“We are also concerned about the persistent threat to journalists’ safety and the potential chilling effect of strategic lawsuits against public participation, slander, and harassment including by security agencies and politicians. And this is very common.
“We call on the Attorney General to push for the immediate amendment of the Cybercrime Act and other repressive legislations, and bring these laws in line with the Nigerian Constitution, Convention on the Rights of the Amended, and the traditional human rights legislation to which Nigeria is a state party.
“We urge the Ministry of Information to properly review restricting and oppressing media restriction in Nigeria, and pursue immediate revisions of any provisions that violate the right to freedom of expression, access to information, including online and media freedom, and ensure that any restrictions on media freedom are necessarily proportionate in these restrictions.
“We call on the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission to stop using its code to clamp down on the broadcasting stations and to impose arbitrary fines on them. The NBC must review its code to bring them in line with the Nigerian Constitution and their mechanisms.”
“We urge the National Assembly to promptly review the cybercrime Act and other restrictive legislation and reverse them as appropriate to bring them into line with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations and commitments regarding the right to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.
“We urge state governments to ensure that security agencies in the Nigerian police force and other authorities drop all charges against journalists and other media workers and critics and seek further arbitrary enclosures of radio and television stations.”
In his welcome address, the President of NGE, Mr Eze Anaba said it is the responsibility of journalists and civil society and others to be responsive to the current challenges.
“One is already playing out. Today, there is a picture of Dele Farotimi in handcuff whereas a former state Governor would be arraigned and without handcuff. We should be alert and responsive, Nigerians need us more than ever,” Anaba stated.
For a better society
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