Amnesty International’s Nigeria Director, Isa Sanusi, has called on the Nigerian authorities to ensure that security agencies respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by the country’s constitution and human rights treaties.
Sanusi stated that the government must refrain from demonizing protesters and stifling peaceful dissent, and not use the planned nationwide protests as a pretext to crackdown on human rights.
He expressed concern over the arrests of at least three people for allegedly supporting the protests on social media, citing the authorities’ intolerance of peaceful dissent, according to Peoples Gazette.
Sanusi emphasized that the Nigerian authorities must address the underlying issues driving the protests, including the escalating price of food, poverty, and corruption, rather than ramping up repression and stifling peaceful dissent.
Nigeria is currently facing a severe economic crisis, with inflation rates on food hitting 36% and the removal of fuel subsidies driving many people into poverty.
The planned nationwide protests, organized on social media, aim to draw attention to these issues, but the authorities have labeled them as attempts to unleash violence.
Sanusi, said: “The Nigerian authorities must ensure that security agencies respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by both the country’s own constitution and human rights treaties including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party. Government officials must also refrain from issuing rhetoric to demonize protesters and stifle peaceful dissent.
“Authorities must not use the proposed nationwide protests as a ploy to crackdown on human rights including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
“People must be allowed to freely exercise their right to peaceful protest. The arrests of at least three people last week for allegedly supporting the protests on social media show the authorities’ intolerance of peaceful dissent.
“The escalating price of food is driving millions of people in Nigeria deeper in poverty while countless families are increasingly unable to afford the costs of healthcare and education.
“The Nigerian authorities must begin seriously address the underlying issues driving the protests instead of ramping up repression and stifling peaceful dissent.
“Authorities must show the commitment to uphold the country’s constitutional and international human rights obligations by allowing people to freely exercise their human rights including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.”
