Press Release
Assent to Digital
Rights and Freedom Bill – IPC urges President Buhari to review decision
The International Press Centre
(IPC), Lagos is concerned about President Buhari’s decision not to sign the
Digital Rights and Freedom Bill.
The statement from the presidency
as quoted by several media outlets indicated that the President did not sign the
bill because it allegedly covered too many technical subjects and “fails to
address any of them extensively”, especially in the areas of data protection,
surveillance, and lawful interception of communications.
The president's refusal letter
suggested that the bill should be limited to “human rights” within the digital
environment to reduce the challenge of legislation and legislative conflicts in
the future.
IPC however disagrees with this
position as the Digital Rights Bill clearly provides for the protection of
human rights online, protect internet users from infringement of their
fundamental freedoms and guarantees the application of human rights for digital
platform users. The bill also seeks to guarantee human rights within the
context of emerging innovative technologies, security concerns, increasing
citizen participation in governance and democratic processes.
In a statement by the Director
IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said it stood by its stated position that the bill,
if signed as it is, would revolutionize the state of digital rights in the
country for the better and in a manner comparable to international standards.
Mr. Arogundade said the
presidency should prioritise digital rights by signing the bill particularly
as the right is recognized as a human right that protects and acknowledges the
protection of the right to privacy and freedom of expression, in the context of
new digital technologies. This is also recognized as a right by the laws of
several countries.
The IPC Director therefore
appealed to the president to review his position and sign the bill.
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