Amnesty International Nigeria and 27 Civil Societies Organizations have urged President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to put an end to the intimidation and harassment of Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and end escalating intimidation and aggression towards human rights defenders and journalists.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Garba Shehu, has recently issued a statement warning SERAP to “desist from putting out its divisive, irresponsible, and bare-faced publicity stunts”.
According to Shehu, “SERAP should stop the publicity stunt and end the repeated ridiculous claims that it is bringing legal action against the Government and/or President of Nigeria.”
But the 28 CSOs have expressed reservations against the warning of the President’s spokesman, saying that the action is tantamount to repression and attack on free press.
The CSOs stated this in a joint statement signed by the 28 organizations and made available to Theideal last night.
The statement reads in part, “We are seriously concerned that this intimidatory tactic by the government against SERAP solely for peacefully carrying out its mandates illustrates the growing repression of civil society, attacks on journalists, and restriction of civic space in Nigeria.
“Continuous and increasing attacks and intimidation against civil society organizations, human rights and journalists in the country is antithetical to Nigeria’s international human rights obligations including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights both of which the country has ratified.
“ We are concerned that the attack on SERAP is clearly aimed at creating a climate of intimidation against civil society organizations, human rights defenders, and journalists in the country. The targeting of civil society organizations and human rights defenders will have a chilling effect on the promotion and protection of human rights and respect for the rule of law in the country”.
Asking the government to stop the intimidation and do the needful, the 28 CSOs then said, “ The Federal Government must strongly condemn the threats, harassment, and intimidation of SERAP and other groups, human rights defenders and journalists and ensure a conducive environment for them to carry out their work and operate freely without any fear of reprisals.”
The 28 CSOs that signed the statement are as follows:
Amnesty International Nigeria
Human Rights Watch
Adopt A Goal Initiative
Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)
Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC)
Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre
Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE Nigeria)
Femi Falana SAN
Access to Justice
Sterling Centre for Law & Development
Justice Support Network
Paradigm Initiative
Connected Development (CODE)
Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA)
Justice for Peace and Development Initiative
M.H.O.G Foundation
TechHerNG
Sesor
Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD)
Baobab for Women’s Human Rights
Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
Global Rights
NOPRIN
Alliances for Africa (AfA)
Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF)
Centre for Impact Advocacy
Rights Enforcement and Public Law Centre (REPLACE)
Premium Times Centre For Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ)
