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SERAP to FG: Reverse hate speech fine increase now!
By John Eche
The Socio Economic Rights Advocacy Project, SERAP has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately reverse its increase of the existing fine for hate speech defaulters.
According to the group, the increase of the fine from N50, 000 to N5 million was unconstitutional and patently injurious to free speech in the country.
In a series of tweets posted on its verified Twitter handle, the group promised to meet the Federal Government in court if the increase is not reflected immediately.
Read tweets below:
‘SERAP
@SERAPNigeria
BREAKING: We’re calling on President Buhari to immediately reverse the unconstitutional and illegal increase in ‘hate speech fine’ from N500,000 to N5m.
We’ll fight to challenge this illegality in court to make sure that the fine doesn’t become another tool for repression.
7:18 PM · Aug 4, 2020·Twitter Web App
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SERAP
@SERAPNigeria
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15h
Replying to
@SERAPNigeria
This fine would further curtail freedom of expression and open the door for law enforcement officials to target critics.
The fine fails to meet the standards of legality, necessity and proportionality in article 19(3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
SERAP
@SERAPNigeria
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15h
The Buhari government should be removing restrictions on freedom of expression, not imposing heavy fines that risk stifling critical public debate on important issues.
The leadership of the National Assembly should publicly condemn this restriction on constitutional rights’
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