World Press Freedom Day: IPC to launch Nigerian Journalists
Internet Rights Initiative (NJIRI); calls for prompt Presidential assent of the
Digital Rights and Freedom Bill
To mark the 2018 World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), the
International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria has announced the launch of the
“The Nigerian Journalists Internet Rights Initiative (NJIRI)”, which is
scheduled to take place on May 2nd 2018.
Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade said in a statement
that “The Nigerian Journalists Internet Rights Initiative (NJIRI)” aims to advance the
right to freedom of expression for online journalists in Nigeria and that It is
premised on ensuring that internet spaces and online platforms are safe and
free of institutional limitations for journalists and other media practitioners
to use as mediums of information and engagement.
He further stated that as part of the project, a research report titled
“Issues in frameworks, freedom of expression and Internet rights in Nigeria: A
baseline research by the Nigerian Journalists Internet Rights Initiative
(NJIRI)” will be presented and disseminated to stakeholder groups in the
freedom of expression community as a key feature of the official launch of the
NJIRI.
Mr.
Arogundade explained that IPC recognizes the need to use the WPFD to raise awareness of the importance
of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and
uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined
under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Windhoek
Declaration, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in Windhoek in 1991. In line with this, IPC
therefore calls for the prompt Assent of the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill.
A
Tweet Conference session will be held as part of the Launch, focusing on the
Digital Rights and Freedom Bill. The Bill was
passed by the House of Representatives on December 19, 2017, and was similarly
passed by the Senate, on March 13. The piece of legislation that is proposed
for “an act to provide for the Protection of Human Rights Online, To Protect
Internet Users in Nigeria From Infringement of their Fundamental Freedoms and
to Guarantee Application of Human Rights for users of Digital platform and/or
digital Media and for Related Matters. IPC will use this session to address
new challenges to Journalists Press Freedom Online in Nigeria, increasing
awareness on the Bill and to engage Stakeholders to advocate for prompt
Presidential assent of the Bill. Presentations will be delivered by
representatives of Paradigm Initiative, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ),
and the (Online) Nation Newspaper.
NJIRI is being supported by International Freedom of
Exchange (IFEX), an international freedom of expression organization
headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
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