AFEX

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Good News, Bad News: A Story of Internet Shutdowns in Togo And Ethiopia Read more

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The pushback against internet shutdowns in Africa received a boost last month when the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice ruled that the 2017 internet shutdown in Togo was illegal. This followed another win just over a year ago when, in January 2019, the Zimbabwe High Court ruledthat the state-initiated internet shutdown that same month was illegal. However, barely a week after the ECOWAS ruling, Ethiopia  initiated a nationwide shutdown, thus serving a reminder of the persistent threat of internet shutdowns on the continent. Ethiopia has a history of repeated network disruptions, including during national high school exams, but mostly as a means to stifle public protests. Prior to the latest disruption, last year a 10-day nationwide disruption was initiated following the assassination of six top government officials. The latest disruption comes on the heels of protests triggered by the murder of Hachalu Hundessa, a popular musician and democracy activist. Between January and March 2020, millions of Ethiopians in the western Oromia region were similarly disconnected from the internet and were in the midst of a government-imposed shutdown of internet and phone services and thus could not readily access information, including Covid-19 news. Ethiopia’s shutdown also bears some traits with the Togolese shutdown of 2017, which was initiatedfollowing the announcement of planned anti-government protests by members of the opposition and resulted in internet access being disrupted during September 5–11, 2017. In 2019, the digital rights advocacy group Access Now led a coalition of eight organisations, including CIPESA, in filing an amici curiae (friends of the court)  brief in a lawsuit filed by Amnesty International Togo and other applicants. The ruling by the ECOWAS court acknowledges that the internet shutdown, in addition to being illegal, was also an affront on the right of freedom to expression, echoing a 2016 resolution by the United Nations on the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the internet. Further, Access Now reports that the court ordered the government of Togo to pay two million CAF (USD 3,459) to the plaintiffs as compensation, and to take all the necessary measures to guarantee the implementation of safeguards with respect to the right to freedom of expression of the Togolese people. In both Ethiopia and Togo, old habits die hard. Last February, when Togolese citizens went to vote, authorities disrupted access to messaging services (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram) on election day after the polls had closed. The disruption was imposed despite the call by local and international rights groups urging the government to ensure an open, secure, and accessible internet throughout the election period. A statement issued by the #KeepItOn coalition in the wake of latest disruption noted that the Ethiopian government has a responsibility to protect freedom of expression and access to information rights of all persons in the country, as enshrined in its national constitution, as well as regional and international frameworks including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, to which Ethiopia is a signatory. It added: “The government should be working to make sure Ethiopians connect to the internet, not the contrary.” Almost two weeks after the disruption was initiated, reports started emerging that internet was partly restored. Digital rights advocates have noted that disruptions undermine the economic benefits of the internet, disrupt access to essential services such as health care, and often fail to meet the established test for restrictions on freedom of expression and the right of peaceful assembly under the ICCPR. The network disruption does not help Ethiopia’s reputation which is battling to shake off its autocratic history.  The Horn of Africa country, which was due to hold parliamentary elections this August, has since postponed these plans but continues wading through political and economic reforms, some of which impact on internet access and digital rights. A study of network disruptions in Sub-Saharan Africa showed that the less democratic a government is, the more likely it is to order an internet disruption. Both Ethiopia and Togo are characterised as authoritarian on the Economist Democracy Index. The decision by the ECOWAS court marks a notch in the push back against internet shutdowns in Sub-Saharan Africa. Other cases against shutdowns have been lodged in various courts, including in Uganda and Cameroon, and serve as reference points for the necessity of strategic litigation in fighting network disruptions. However, judging from the experience of countries like Ethiopia, which have repeatedly disrupted networks, the strategic litigation needs to be complimented by several other efforts in fighting the scourge of shutdowns in the region and to become a thing of the past.

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AFEX Members Canvass for the Safety of Journalists at the 65th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR

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IPC, ADISI, Media Rights Agenda and Institute of Media and Society are among the African Freedom of Exchange (AFEX) members participating at the 65th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). The AFEX members will later today participate in a side event with Banjul Commissioners, AU and Africa Safety of Journalists Stakeholders for the purpose of creating an AU Working Group on Safety of Journalists. The meeting is facilitated by MRA. It is expected that the working group will lead to the adoption of ‘standing agenda on Safety of Journalists in Africa within the framework of the AU Peace and Security Council. Mr. Arogundade said the meeting which will involve the participation of international and regional bodies including UNESCO and Media Foundation for West Africa will afford the Nigerian organisations to highlight the deteriorating press freedom situation in Nigeria as the country’s civic space continues to shrink. “We will certainly draw attention to the plight of Agba Jalingo and Jones Abiri, among others”, Mr. Arogundade said. In a joint statement by the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) and the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights on the situation on Human Rights in Africa, they conveyed to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights their disquietude and alarm at the continued shrinking of civic spaces in many African countries noting that many countries in the continent are finding ways to limit the rights to freedom of assembly, association, expression and access to information, despite being guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Areas of concern identified in the statement is the growing trend of the use of cyber-security laws to unduly limit freedom of expression and access to information, particularly the use of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2015, which have been used against Journalists and political activists such as Omoyele Sowore and Jones Abiri, similar incidents have been reported in Egypt, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Internet shutdowns were also identified as weapons of silencing and limiting citizens’ voices as seen in the Democratic Republic of Congo, during the presidential elections and Zimbabwe curtail protests by the citizens against fuel hikes, other Countries with incidents of internet shutdowns  are Togo, Cameroon, Benin, Gabon and Sudan. Social media shutdowns were also repeatedly reported in the Chad and Zimbabwe. They therefore urged the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to Respond to cases of shrinking civic space in Africa, wherever and whenever they happen; Call on African States to respect and protect the rights to expression, access to information, assembly and association for everyone under their jurisdictions. Call on African States to bring their Cyber-crime and Public Order laws in compliance with the provisions of articles 9 and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Continue to popularize the Commission’s Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly in Africa, the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa and the Commission’s Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa.

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AFEX Freedom of Expression Situation in Africa Report – January-April 2019

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Executive Summary The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) is a continental network of some of the leading freedom of expression and media rights groups in Africa that seeks to promote freedom of expression and human rights. AFEX is made up of fifteen (15) member organisations that are all members of the Toronto-based global free expression network, IFEX. As part of its free expression and human rights advocacy efforts, AFEX puts together periodic reports that seek to highlight incidents of freedom of expression (FOE) violations and related developments in Africa’s media landscape. The AFEX Freedom of Expression Situation in Africa Report for January –March 2019, covers incidents of FOE violations and related media developments recorded in 21 countries during the first quarter of 2019. A total of 77freedom of expression (FOE) violations recorded in 21 African countries. Nigeria recorded the highest number of FOE violations (16), a majority of which were recorded during electioneering period. Liberia, Zambia and Zimbabwe distantly followed with seven(7) violations each while Mauritania recorded five violations. Details of the violations recorded by AFEX during the monitoring period is provided in country-by-country analysis section of this report. Security agents were responsible for 40out of 77violations followed by political party affiliates and state officials with 14 and ten violations recorded respectively. The remaining violations were perpetrated by organized groups, unknown individuals, and media regulatory bodies of various countries. Although some of the violations recorded in the first quarter of 2019 received,to some extent, redress actions from various state and non-state actors, the level of impunity for a majority of the violations recorded was high. AFEX continues to urge stakeholders in their respective countries to adopt concrete steps towards promoting the safety of journalists and protecting the overall freedom of expression environment in Africa. The report concludes with key recommendations to state and non-state actors to work together in establishing a coordinated mechanism to tackle press freedom challenges identified in the various countries on the continent. The full report can be accessed here AFEX Freedom of Expression Situation in Africa Report – January-April 2019

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AFEX Condemns Increasing Attacks on Journalists

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…Calling on African Govts to Adopt Monitoring Mechanisms to Ensure Journalists Safety The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) has frowned on the rising attacks on and violations of the rights of journalists, media practitioners, freedom of expression activist groups and individuals across the continent, particularly in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. It also berated the increasing crackdown on the media and journalists working in Mozambique, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Nigeria in recent times. Several journalists have been arbitrarily arrested, detained, jailed or physically assaulted for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of expression and access to information in these countries. Rising from its Seventh General Meeting held in Berlin, Germany on Sunday, April 7th, AFEX, a network of African freedom of expression and media development organisations which are members of the global press freedom advocacy network, IFEX, also condemns the continued detention of Mozambican journalist, Mr Amade Abubacar who has been in detention since January 5, 2019 without charge; The organisation further condemns the high level of impunity for crimes perpetrated against journalists and other media practitioners in the various countries resulting in an increase in freedom of expression violations on the continent. It calls on African governments “to commit to upholding freedom of expression rights at all times as well as actively engaging in the co-sponsorship of safety of journalists or freedom of expression resolutions while actively ensuring the implementation of such resolutions by monitoring, reporting, and investigating crimes against journalists and punishing perpetrators.” AFEX reiterates “the importance of establishing coordinated multi-stakeholder national mechanisms to guarantee the safety of journalists and other media practitioners who remain the major victims of freedom of expression violations, at both national and regional levels.” The organisation expresses concern “about the increasing use of network disruptions or internet shutdowns to stifle critical voices and public debates in general in various African countries, including Chad where social media platforms have been shut down since March 28, 2018.” Other countries that have recently resorted to the use of network disruptions or Internet shutdowns, it noted, include the DRC, Gabon, Sudan and Zimbabwe. “There have also been increased reports of attacks against internet users such as journalists, activists, bloggers and individuals for their online activities in Somalia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Nigeria, among other countries.” It further expresses “serious concern about the apparent forced disappearance of Mr Gwanda Azory, a Tanzanian freelance journalist who has been reported missing since November 21, 2017 and the continued lack of information about his whereabouts.”  While commending the government of Liberia for “decriminalizing libel in the country amidst deteriorating state of freedom of expression and access to information rights on the continent”, it urges other governments across the continent to follow suit by putting in place “urgent measures to decriminalise libel and defamation in their respective countries.” AFEX also commends the Parliament of Ghana for passing into law the Right to Information bill and calls upon the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr Nana Akufo-Addo to sign the bill into law speedily. It also recognises “the efforts of the African Union Special Rapporteur on the Revision of the Declaration on the Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa as a commitment to uphold and promote freedom of expression on the continent”. The group demands “that Cameroon urgently adopts measures to end the massive crackdown on the fundamental human rights of journalists, political activists, civil society actors and the entire population of Cameroon living in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon since October 6, 2018, a day after presidential elections were held,” urging the government to ensure that the rights of citizens are upheld at all times; While requesting that the government of Mozambique should immediately and unconditionally release the detained journalist, Mr Amade Abubacar, and allow him go about his journalistic duties freely and independently; it also demands “that in fulfillment of its responsibilities under international law to protect persons within its territory, the government of Tanzania undertakes a full investigation into the disappearance of Azory and makes the report of its findings public.” The organisation also urge “the respective institutions and organs of the African Union to strengthen the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to ensure that it has the necessary financial, human and technical resources to effectively promote and protect the rights guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.” It also urges journalists and other media professionals working across the continent to remain steadfast in the practice of journalism while ensuring professionalism at all times. The meeting, held ahead of the biennial IFEX Strategy Conference and General Meeting, was presided over by Mr Edetaen Ojo, chairperson of AFEX’s Steering Committee and also the Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA). The meeting was attended by representatives of eleven of AFEX’s 12 member organisations from West, East, Central and Southern Africa. AFEX members present at the meeting reviewed the activities implemented by the network from November 2018 to April 2019. The meeting also discussed challenges and developments around the freedom of expression and media freedom situations in Africa as well as lessons learnt during the past year. The meeting outlined strategies for addressing or responding to the existing and emerging threats to freedom of expression and media freedom on the continent. The meeting also provided an opportunity for members to share experiences about the safety of journalists’ situation in different countries and regions in Africa and how to confront widespread impunity for crimes against journalists in the respective countries or regions. Members of AFEX resolved to increase awareness about the need for African governments to adopt or put in place monitoring and reporting mechanisms at the national and regional levels aimed at promoting the safety of journalists’ situation on the continent and the overall improvement of the freedom of expression situation in Africa. AFEX members also welcomed three new members into the AFEX network. These are: ADISI-Cameroon, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in Eastern and Southern Africa

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AFEX Calls on African Governments to Promote Safety of Journalists, Combat Impunity

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Resolution At the end of the Sixth General Meeting of the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) held in Accra, Ghana, on November 7 and 8, 2018. The Sixth General Meeting of the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a network of African freedom of expression and media development organisations which are members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), was held in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday, November 7 and Thursday, November 8, 2018. The meeting, hosted by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), and presided, over by AFEX Steering Committee Chairperson, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, who is the Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), was attended by representatives of all AFEX member organisations from West, East, Central and Southern Africa. The meeting was also attended by two representatives from ARTICLE 19 Brazil and ARTICLE 19 Mexico as well as journalists from Ghana. The meeting discussed institutional issues concerning AFEX as well as the current state of freedom of expression in Africa and strategies for addressing the threats to freedom of expression and media freedom on the continent, particularly, the issues of the safety of journalists and how to confront the challenge of impunity for crimes against journalists. Participants resolved to develop a plan of action on the safety of journalists in Africa which will guide advocacy interventions by members of the AFEX Network and other press freedom organisations. At the end of the meeting, members of the Network unanimously adopted this Resolution: We are deeply concerned about the growing wave of attacks against journalists and the media in general across the African continent, especially during elections. We are further disturbed by the widespread increase in the level of insecurity in journalism practice, arising from the unchecked acts of violence against media professionals and media organizations. We believe that the failure of African governments to live up to their responsibility of protecting journalists as well as other members of the public is exacerbating this problem with numerous cases of unresolved killings of journalists and other crimes against journalists that have not been properly investigated in many countries, including Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria, Uganda, and Cameroon. Given the well-established norm that the ability of citizens to freely exercise their right to freedom of expression underpins democratic practice in any country, we are of the view that the deteriorating state of freedom of expression on the African continent is a clear signal of the decline in the quality of democracy in Africa. We find it ironic and contradictory that although African Union (AU) leaders have launched 2018 as the African Anti-Corruption Year, its members are actively hounding the media and media professionals in many countries for reporting and exposing official corruption. We call on African countries to establish multi-stakeholder national mechanisms, ideally backed by Law, to promote the safety of journalists and other actors who are often targeted for exercising their right to freedom of expression and through which a range of activities in this regard can be coordinated and implemented. Such activities could potentially include the reform of media laws, the monitoring of threats and attacks to freedom of expression, as well as the training of members of different stakeholder groups such as the military, law enforcement, security and intelligence agencies; legislators, and member of the Judiciary. The mechanism could also serve as an avenue for the provision of  protection for persons at risk and for responding to the problem of impunity. We are equally concerned about the increasing attacks on digital rights and Internet freedoms by governments and their intelligence services in some parts of Africa, including in countries like Uganda and Zambia, where social media taxes have recently been introduced, as well as in other countries like Cameroon, Ethiopia, Mali, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo and Togo, where the Internet or social media services have been shut down from time to time. We are convinced that such acts only serve to worsen the digital divide which has already seen Africa lagging behind other regions of the world in the availability, affordability and use of the Internet and digital tools. Besides, they subvert the creativity and resourcefulness of African youths who are thereby deprived of opportunities to innovate in the digital age while undermining the potential of African countries to achieve economic, social and political development. We note that most countries in Africa continue to use criminal law to undermine the right to freedom of expression and to punish journalistic activities and other forms of expressions, including non-verbal expression. It is our view that in most of these circumstances, such laws serve no useful purpose other than to suppress criticism of public officials and official wrongdoing, reporting that exposes corruption or in some cases, to prevent the publication of politically embarrassing materials. There are also numerous examples on the continent where such laws have been used to prevent public scrutiny of political authorities, public institutions, and senior government officials, among others. We, therefore, call on all countries in Africa to undertake a comprehensive reform of their media laws to decriminalize media practice, promote and create a conducive and enabling legal environment for freedom of expression in the respective countries, consistent with international standards. We also call on media professionals and media professional bodies in Africa to take urgent steps to check and counteract the spread of “fake news” which is now regarded as one of the greatest threats to democracy around the world. While we acknowledge that the deliberate falsification of information and the dissemination of such information is not necessarily the handiwork of professional journalists, we are nonetheless convinced that professional journalists have a major role to play in checking this phenomenon by providing the public with accurate and reliable information and constantly establishing through their reporting the falsity or unreliability of fake news. Members re-elected Mr. Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda in Nigeria, to serve as Chair of the AFEX Steering Committee for a further period of two years. They also

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AFEX Condemns Gruesome Murder of Jamal Khashoggi, Calls on the UN to take Decisive Action against Saudi Arabia

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Accra, Ghana, Monday, October 29, 2018:  The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a network of prominent media and freedom of expression organisations across the continent, today condemned the October 2, 2018 gruesome murder of renowned Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, saying a country that indulges in such barbaric behaviour ought to be ostracized by the civilized world. In a statement issued from its Secretariat in Accra, AFEX called on the United Nations to demonstrate its commitment to the safety of journalists and ending impunity for crimes against journalists by taking decisive action against Saudi Arabia which, “despite the overwhelming evidence of official complicity in the murder of the journalist, has engaged in bare-faced denials, duplicity, peddling falsehoods and then grudging admission laced with half-truths.” Chair of AFEX Steering Committee, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, said: “There can be no acceptable excuse or justification for the failure of the United Nations to take action against Saudi Arabia for this heinous state-sponsored crime against a journalist at a time when the international community, led by the UN, is trying to implement a series of measures to address the problem of crimes against journalists and end impunity for such crimes. A failure by the UN to sanction one of its members whose agents were responsible for this gruesome murder would rightly raise serious questions about its commitment to the safety of journalists and ending impunity for crimes against them.” According to Mr. Ojo, “Given the evident use of Saudi Government resources to facilitate the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the involvement of multiple Saudi officials in the crime, including the initial efforts to cover it up, we have no faith any investigation conducted by Saudi Arabia or its ability to bring all those responsible to justice. Its continued refusal to disclose the whereabouts of the journalist’s remains is evidence that the country is still unwilling to come clean and make a full disclosure.” He therefore called on the UN to launch an independent international investigation into the murder to establish the extent of involvement of various officials within the Saudi government, including who issued the order for the killing of the journalist and all those who played a role in the incident. Mr. Ojo stressed that It is only by so doing that the UN can convince the world that it is truly serious in its efforts, as outlined in various resolutions and plans on the subject adopted since 2012 by its organs and agencies such as the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and UNESCO, aimed at ensuring the safety of journalists and ending impunity for crimes against journalists. To do nothing would be to give a stamp of approval to impunity! AFEX said it was seriously concerned about the lack of outrage coming from African governments over the incident, which gives the impression that African leaders are unconcerned about the act of barbarism that has shocked decent people and governments around the world. It noted that with the exception of South Africa, which has expressed “concern” over the “disappearance” of the Saudi journalist, no other African government has commented on or condemned the action, while the South Africa itself continues to conduct business with the Gulf state despite allegations that government officials were involved in Khashoggi’s murder. AFEX observed that African cultures and traditions are founded on the values of truth, fairness and justice, as a result of which it is difficult to understand the basis of the silence of African leaders in this matter. According to the AFEX network, besides the requirements of international norms and standards, even under African cultures and traditions, no society would condone the kind of behaviour that Saudi Arabia has exhibited.  All across the continent, the unlawful and unjustifiable killing of an individual such as in the case of Khashoggi would be considered a taboo or repugnant conduct and visited with drastic punishment. The Network therefore called on African leaders to have the moral courage to stand for fairness and justice and, accordingly, join the rest of the international community in unequivocally condemning the abhorrent action of Saudi Arabia. For further information, please contact: Ms Felicia Anthonio Coordinator, Africa Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) Accra, Ghana Tel: +233 302 2424 70 Fax: +233 302 221084 E-mail:  info@africafex.org website: www.africafex.org Facebook: African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) Twitter: @AFEXafrica Note to Editors AFEX is currently made up of 12 media rights and freedom of expression organisations across West, East, Central and Southern regions of Africa, namely: Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP) Human Rights Network of Journalists- Uganda (HRNJ-U) Journaliste en Danger (JED) Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Media Rights Agenda (MRA) West African Journalists Association (WAJA) International Press Centre (IPC) Institute for Media and Society (IMS) Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS) Read more at: http://www.africafex.org/attacks/afex-condemns-gruesome-murder-of-jamal-khashoggi-calls-on-the-un-to-take-decisive-action-against-saudi-arabia

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Global Media Community Frowns at Obstacles Militating Against Free Press

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Issues of protection of journalists, the defense of digital and Internet rights and demand for end to impunity for acts of crime against journalists have dominated the celebration of this year’s World Press Freedom Day (WFPD) 2018 holding in Accra, Ghana. With the theme: “Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and the Rule of Law.” participants drawn from across the globe, took turn to review the challenges confronting journalists at the annual press freedom festival organised by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). This is the 25th edition and Ghana is the fourth African nation to hold this summit. About 1000 participants were in attendance from across the globe. They included journalists, media bodies and associations, media experts and academics, media development workers, government representatives and donor agencies. UNESCO’s Deputy Director-General, Getachew Engida while giving his opening address said there was the urgent imperative of putting in place national mechanisms for the safety of journalists. “Democracy and growth can thrive only when journalists are able to report without fear and citizens can have access to information to make knowledgeable choices” but expressed deep concern about the alarming number of journalists killed on a daily basis without justice being served. Minister of Information Ghana, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, in his address, demanded greater media professionalism and respect for ethics saying that “deliberate misinformation campaigns by some elements in the democratic states and inadvertent misinformation by the media due to the desire to be first to break the news were some emerging risks that needed to be addressed”. Abdul-Hamid charged media owners to build the capacity of journalists to enable them work effectively adding that the media should recognize the power they have and make effective use of it. Nnenna Nwakanma, Senior Policy Manager of World Wide Web Foundation in an inspiring keynote address advocated freedom of information, safety of journalists and removal of laws that adversely affect the productivity of journalists. Nwakanma had strong words for governments and their agencies hindering digital rights/Internet and access to information online, saying they were undermining democracy and development.Ethiopia, Mauritania and Benin Republic are among African countries known to have engaged in Internet shutdowns at huge costs to consumers, the media and businesses. An artistic exhibition of journalists killed across the world including some Nigerian journalists by Wahrheits Kampfer Truth Fighters, a German freedom of the press organization, was one of the major side events of the WPFD 2018. Egyptian photo journalist, Mahmoud Abu Zeid, also won the 2018 UNESCO/Guillermo World Press Freedom Prize named in honour of Guillermo Cano Isaza, a Colombian journalist with El Espectador newspaper who was assassinated in December 1986. The award carried a prize of $25,000 USD.

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Press Freedom Day- Panelists Want Digital Rights and Freedom Bill Signed

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To mark this year’s World Press Freedom Day, a gathering of media professionals at a conference in Lagos has stressed the need for journalists working online to understand the provisions enshrined in the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill in order to enhance the performance of their work. The panelists frowned at the indifference of many media professionals to a law which is designed not only to guide their practice but ultimately affect the survival of their business. Journalists have also been advised to brace up to confront the digital challenges of the 21st century and seize the initiative from the array of poorly trained persons who are making hay from the media space on the Internet. “Many of our colleagues need to shift away from a bus stop that has long been moved away to another location”, says Mr Taiwo Obe, founder, Journalist Clinic. Recounting his frustration about many media practitioners in Nigeria who opted to “stand at a point while the world was moving”, the acclaimed media trainer said “We cannot blame others for taking the initiative while we stood aloof.    “Media consumption habits were changing but we chose to stand at a long discarded bus stop. Many of us are whinning and bellyaching about some untrained persons with some ideas about the workings of the Internet taking over the media space but we have opted to watch idly without responding to the changing times”, posited Obe, who convened a summit on “Functional Social Networking for Nigerian Journalists” in 2014 which brought together many senior practitioners to appraise the response to the digital challenge. Delivering a keynote address titled “The Power of the Media in the Internet Age”, at the conference hosted by the International Press Centre (IPC) with support from the International Freedom of Expression (IFEX), Obe who cut his professional practice at The Guardian newspaper and defunct This Week magazine, advised journalists to beef up their social media presence as a way of further oiling their practice. Recalling the example of a senior journalist who then had no Facebook, LinkedIn or tweeter account, it was his view that any journalists who opts to be what he perceives as a “digital alien” cannot survive the changing times. Also speaking at the event, Mr Lekan Otunfodunrin, Managing Editor Online, The Nation newspapers, admonished journalists to join the campaign and advocacy for the Digital Rights Bill now awaiting the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari. Otunfodunrin who spoke on the topic “Protecting the Internet Rights of Journalists and Bloggers”, says “We need to know what the Digital Rights Bill is about and press for the assent of the President to make it an Act”. While calling on journalists to endeavour to carve a niche for themselves as they explore the Internet by working on specialised areas and subjects that will drive traffic to their website, he advocated for media houses in Nigeria to evolve a social media policy that will guide the engagement of their editors online. “How can you be trustful of a political editor for instance who has already taken sides with one of the political parties or candidate?”, he queries, arguing that the prevailing situation particularly on facebook which is inundated with many editors openly taking sides against one political party or candidate or the other does not augur well either for journalism practice or the independence of the media. Presenting the synopsis of “Issues in frameworks, freedom of expression and internet rights in Nigeria: A baseline research by the Nigerian Journalists Internet Rights Initiative (NJRI)”, Dr Tunde Akanni, Lecturer, School of Communication, Lagos State University (LASU), says the Cyber Crime Act of 2015 is more punitive and negates the development of the media space. Discussing the provision of freedom of expression as contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Universal Covenant on Political and Social Rights, the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights and the ECOWAS Treaty, he calls for collaboration amongst media colleagues both in West Africa and beyond to ensure that freedom of expression is not encumbered by dictatorial tendencies. While calling for networking with the Nigerian Internet Regulation Authority (NIRA) on the creation of a harmonious environment for the thriving of the media space online, he commended many media publications for adopting the .ng domain name which shows that their operations are based in Nigeria. Akanni, a former journalist at the defunct Concord newspapers however berated many government agencies that are still shunning the .ng domain name to take a cue from this noble example. Recalling how he was hauled into detention under the military government of General Sani Abacha under the 1961 Sedition Act because of a press release, the communication scholar called for the review of laws setting up the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission which in his words is “constituted more like a dictatorial institution without any representation from the civil society”. Executive Director, Paradign Initiative (PIN), Mr Gbenga Sesan who made a presentation on “Internet Rights and the Imperative of the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill”, says the advocacy for the law is the product of networking across different continents since 2016 which is meant to ensure that the promotion of freedom of expression online is not stultified. Pointing to the case of the arbitrary shutting down of 21 websites under the Cyber Crime Act on the grounds that they were used to promote the cause of Biafra and the arrest of 15 bloggers, Sesan who was represented by Mr Adeboye Adegoke, programme manager, Digital Rights, PIN canvass for the signing of the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill by the President to create a friendly space for media practice and freedom of expression. Mrs Yinka Shokunbi, Managing Editor, HealthStylePlus Online who shared her experience as a blogger on health issues advised journalists to ensure they have quality content to offer online. “the quality of what you put online determines your traffic and how seriously people will look at your work”, she quips. IPC Programme Manager, Mr Sanmi

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Press Release “World Press Freedom Day” IPC to launch NJIRI; calls for prompt Presidential assent of the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill

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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 2 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. Olutoyin Ayoade Communications Officer International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos +2348114503887 tayoade@ipcng.org

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