The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Amnesty International have called on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw criminal charges filed against activist Omoyele Sowore and social media platforms X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
In a joint letter dated September 20, the groups described the charges as “weaponisation of the justice system to silence dissent.” The case, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, followed Sowore’s refusal to delete posts critical of the President.
SLAPP Lawsuits and Free Speech in Nigeria
Two of the counts were brought under the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024, while three others cited defamation under the Criminal Code. SERAP and Amnesty argue that such lawsuits are Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), designed to stifle criticism. A pending suit at the ECOWAS Court is already challenging the law’s compatibility with Nigeria’s human rights obligations.
Human Rights, Rule of Law, and 2027 Politics
The groups warned that these prosecutions chill free expression, undermine democracy, and contravene Nigeria’s obligations under international treaties. They urged Tinubu to back an anti-SLAPP law, which would protect citizens from legal harassment. Failure to act, they said, could spark further domestic and international legal battles and erode Nigeria’s democratic credibility ahead of 2027.
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