WHISTLE BLOWER RELEASE MEMO ON WEB FALSEHOOD PROTECTION

INTERNATIONAL PRESS CENTRE, (IPC) LAGOS-NIGERIA

A Memo on the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill, 2019 (SB 132)

INTERNATIONAL PRESS CENTRE (IPC)

Address - House 11, Dideolu Court, Dideolu Estate
2nd Gate Bus Stop,
Ijaiye Road,
Ogba, Lagos, Nigeria.

Phone:+234 816 220 6470
E-mail:admin@ipcng.org
Website:www.ipcng.org

To: Senator Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President

Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters

The Clerk, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters

From: International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria

Date: 5 March, 2020

Subject: Memorandum on the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill, 2019 (SB 132)

International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos - Nigeria is pleased to submit this memorandum in view of the planned public hearing to discuss the bill for an act to provide for the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill, 2019 (SB 132) by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

The International Press Centre (lPC) Lagos-Nigeria,is a leading Media Development & Press Freedom Organization.IPC envisions a Nigerian and African media that serves asmajor catalyst for development.

In view of the mandate of our organization to promote and protect media freedom and independence, the internet rights of journalists, and online bloggers, the right to freedom of expression and access to information and the right of Nigerian citizens to political participation without unnecessary hindrance, we hereby formally restate our opposition to the above cited bill in all its entirety and demand that it should be withdrawn as it does not accord with the public interest.

More importantly, the provisions of the bill violates various national, regional and international declarations and conventions including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the African Charter of Peoples Rights, that have over the years expanded the frontiers of civic and political rights.

In demanding that this bill should be dropped, we are predicating our position on the grounds of the following arguments;

Argument 1 

The provision of the Bill in Section 1 (d) under Part I- Aims, Objectives and Applications to enable measures to “be taken to enhance disclosure of information concerning paid content directed towards a political end”, constitutes a violation of the political rights of citizens as well the right of individuals to privacy.

Argument 2

That the provisions of section 3 (1) (vi) under PART 2 PROHIBITION OF TRANSMISSION OF FALSE STATEMENTS OF FACT, that makes it a punishable offence to “diminish public confidence in the performance of any duty or function of, or in the exercise of any power by the Government”, constitutes an attempt to criminalize the criticism of public officials in the course of performing public duties.

Argument 3

That the provisions of section 12 (Access blocking order) of the bill could be used to curtail the internet rights of journalists and other professionals.

Conclusion/Recommendation

In general, the bill providing for the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill, 2019 (SB 132) in our view duplicates the provisions of the cybercrime Act and other relevant laws of the federation and therefore should be dropped in its entirety.  

Best regards, 

Lanre Arogundade,

Executive Director

International Press Centre

Lagos-Nigeria