PARADIGM INITIATIVE: Nigeria Digital Rights and Freedom Bill.
Digital Rights workshop, UYO 2020.
I am delighted to be participating in the Paradigm Initiative, #DigitalRights workshop. #Media and Information Literacy #MIL and #Internetgovernance are “the new basics” of education and this will further strengthen the works we’re doing at the #GAPMILYouth, lead by Daniel Nwaeze as we develop regional action plans, lead conversations and run inclusive campaigns across five (5) regions- #Africa, #Europe, #North & Latin #America, #AsiaPacific and the #Caribbean for #Digitalrights & #safety as well as educate the public on how to engage with information on and off the Internet, which, in turn, will help to build more inclusive #societies
Following my invitation to participate in the @Paradigmhq #Digitalrights workshop, our discussions and tasks explored topical issues around Data privacy and surveillance, digital identity, multi-stakeholder approach to digital policy, Internet shutdowns, content takedowns, freedom of expression online, digital security amongst others.
@Paradigmhq deployed an outstanding workshop model where the participants did not only discuss these issues at surface level to raise dust of complaint. Participants were engaged in a brainstorming think tank session where we proffered ways forward to the present issues on digital rights with a view of the future in mind.
To this effect, the Paradigm Initiative presented the DIGITAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOM BILL, (we had had a chance to study the bill ahead of the workshop) for us to review and develop the bill in groups and went on to make presentation along the following:
- What was in the bill that needs to be removed
- What was missing in the bill that should be added
- How to navigate the National Assembly to pass the bill, advocacy strategy, raise Interests etc. (In previous works, THE DIGITAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOM BILL already has a first reading on the floor of the National assembly)
- How to disseminate awareness campaign of the bill to get Nigerians concerned about this bill that now seeks to protect their rights as digital citizens amongst others.
The most exciting thing for me working on this project with @Paradigmhq is this: at the moment, Nigeria has ZERO (0) Digital Rights Framework, none at all with all the issues surrounding the use and governance of the internet that have give rise to the series of events as presented in the case studies of Musa Babale Azare, Abubakar Sidiq Usman, Tonye Okio, most recently Agba Jalingo amongst others.
We couldn’t have gone this far without calling to question the provision of the Nigeria Cybercrime Act Section 24(1)(b) 2015 — states that
“ Any person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or network that he knows to be false for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent: commits an offence under this Act and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N7,000,000.0019 or imprisonment for a term of not more than 3 years or to both such fine and imprisonment.”
This provision is titled ‘Cyberstalking’.
Since the Law came into force, Nigerians have witnessed a flood of arrests and detentions of bloggers and online journalists who criticized politicians and businessmen online. These journalists, when arrested, are usually charged with the crime of Cyberstalking.
We argue the deficiencies as this section has been grossly weaponized against the people who just exercise their constitutional rights to expression and we may all be a victim in a roque system one day if an urgent action is not taken, thus the push for a review of it as well as provide an alternative in the DIGITAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOM BILL which we now have ready for a second reading.
If you’re interested in this bill and would love to be a part of the process, kindly get in touch with the @Paradigmhq. I’d also be here to provide you information as required to engage.
Warm regards,
Dough ONAH — Fellow of the Nigerian School on Internet Governance.
