UN Hears Petition On Repressive Social Media Bill
The UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right
to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr. David Kaye is considering the
urgent appeal against the bill repressive social media bill known as ‘A
Bill for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and other Matters
Connected therewith’, rights group Socio-Economic Rights and
Accountability Project (SERAP) has confirmed.
In a statement today by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni
the organisation said that, “SERAP can confirm that the Office of the
Special Rapporteur is now considering our petition. We have received
communication from Marcelo Daher at the Office of the Special Rapporteur
to this effect. The Special Rapporteur has also requested a copy of the
bill, which SERAP has promptly sent to Marcelo Daher.”
“SERAP appreciates the prompt attention to this matter by the Office
of the Special Rapporteur. We urge the UN to pursue this matter to a
satisfactory conclusion by ensuring that the Nigerian Senate is not
allowed to strangulate media freedom and social media in the country,”
the group said.
According to the group, “The only option for the Senate now is to
withdraw this obnoxious bill without further delay and end this
international embarrassment. SERAP will be prepared to withdraw the
petition at the UN if the Senate can follow this honourable path.”
It would be recalled that SERAP last week sent an urgent appeal
to Mr. David Kaye requesting him to “use your good offices and
position to urgently request the National Assembly of Nigeria,
specifically the Senate, to withdraw a bill which if passed into law
would undermine the internationally recognized right to freedom of
expression and press freedom on the internet in the country.”
Mr Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was copied in the urgent appeal.
In the urgent appeal, the organisation expressed serious concerns
“that the National Assembly of Nigeria will any moment from now pass a
bill to jail for two years and fine anybody or group of persons who send
any alleged false text message or post false message on the social
media against another person.”
“SERAP is concerned that rather than increasing universal and
inclusive access to the Internet for all Nigerians, the National
Assembly of Nigeria is working to undermine access of citizens to the
Internet. Yet, freedom of expression entails the ability to both speak
and receive information, including through the social media and other
generated content services such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and chat
applications,” the organisation said.
The organisation also said that, “By initiating this bill, the
National Assembly is impermissibly restricting the ability of the
citizens to use these tools to communicate, connect, and seek
independent sources of information.”
“SERAP also contends that the bill will restrain access to internet
and social media, curtail the freedom of the press, and online content
in illegitimate, disproportionate, or otherwise unlawful and abusive
ways. The real targets of the bill are social media and human rights
defenders that might be critical of government policies or report on
corruption involving high ranking government officials,” the
organisation also said.
“International law provides that any restriction to rights online
must be provided in law, pursuant to a legitimate aim, and limited to
only what is necessary and proportionate. SERAP believes that the bill
falls far short of international requirements of legitimacy, necessity
and proportionality,” the organisation added
According to the organisation, “The bill will also have chilling
effect on freedom of expression in the country, as it will create an
atmosphere of fear among bloggers and online activists who may not post
critical commentary on Facebook or other social media platforms for fear
of being sent to jail. The Internet cannot enable citizens and others
to participate in governance or critique government policy if they
cannot freely access information, use social media services, or if they
fear being sent to jail simply for expressing their views.”
The organisation said that, “While it is important to protect
personal integrity in social media, a clean, transparent and accountable
government that has nothing to fear will not use this ground as an
excuse to undermine the sacred right to freedom of expression.”
SERAP therefore asked the Special Rapporteur to:
Publicly express concerns about the proposed bill and insist that the National Assembly of Nigeria should withdraw the bill
Urge the National Assembly in particular the Senate to protect freedom of expression online in line with international standards
Urge the National Assembly to allow free space for expression
without fear of criminal prosecution, and not to contemplate
impermissible restrictions to access internet and social media
Urge the National Assembly to promote and facilitate access to the media in the country
Urge the National Assembly to ensure that in the exercise of its
legislative duties it complies with Nigerian international human rights
obligations and commitments
The bill, titled: “A Bill for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions
and other Matters Connected therewith”, is sponsored by Senator Ibn
Na’Allah, APC, Kebbi South. The bill provides for an option of N4
million for persons convicted of false newspaper, radio and television
statements and N2 million for offenders of false phone text messages or
messages on Facebook, twitter, Instagram, or WhatsApp. The bill also
punishes alleged malicious intent to discredit or set the public against
any person or group of persons, institutions of government.
On the social media, the bill read: “Where any person through text
message, tweets, WhatsApp or through any social media post any abusive
statement knowing same to be false with intent to set the public against
any person and group of persons, an institution of government or such
other bodies established by law shall be guilty of an offence and upon
conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment for two years or a fine
of N2,000,000.00 or both fine and imprisonment.”
Signed
Adetokunbo Mumuni
SERAP Executive Director
Related Posts via Categories:
- PHOTO: Senator Dino Melaye Stuns Nigerian Senators With Unusual Attire
- Jonathan Inexperienced- IBB
- “I Don’t See Nigeria Surviving Up To 2019 — Babatunde Gbadamosi
- Ooni Ogunwusi Customizes His Rolls Royce Ahead Of Coronation (Picture)
- Ghanaian President Hurls Insults at Obasanjo During African Forum in UK
- EFCC Fails To Release Dokpesi Over Allegation of N2B Arms Scam
- N600m Arms Scam: EFCC Arrests Ex- presidential Committee Chairman, AVM Atawodi
- Arms Deal: I Got No Money From Dasuki- Bafarawa
- I Did Not Implicate Anyone - Dasuki
- Minimum wage: Governors consider massive job cuts
Be Our Fan On Facebook
Follow Us @ACKCITY On Twitter
Want updates via;
BB: 568235DD
Channel Pin: C00352CD2
WhatsApp: (234) 08105649346
Advertise your products & services;
Call: (234) 08105649346, 08121807240
E-mail: admin@ackcity.net
No comments