SERAP writes UN to convene special session on Nigeria, says human rights situation drastically deteriorating

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has done a petitioned against Nigeria to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva over what describes as drastical deterioration of human rights situation in the country.

In an open petition to all members and observer states of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, SERAP urged them to “urgently convene a special session on Nigeria over arbitrary arrests and repression by officers of the Nigeria Police Force and other security forces of ‘RevolutionNow’ protesters, organizers, activists, and journalists who covered the protests on Monday across the country.”

The organisation also raised concerns over alleged suppression of freedom of expression, attacks on journalists, bloggers, and human rights defenders by several state governments, as well as the intimidation and harassment of Amnesty International in Nigeria by a group of “apparently paid protesters that continues to besiege the organisation’s office in Abuja.”

SERAP letter, dated August 8, 2019 was signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

The letter read in part:

“There are serious violations of the rights of Nigerians to liberty, personal security, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, and media freedom and a Special Session is urgently needed to help stem the attack on human rights and contribute to UN efforts to prevent further abuses including arbitrary detention and excessive use of force.

“The human rights situation in the country has drastically deteriorated, with the authorities at the federal and state levels violating human rights and refusing to obey court judgments.

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“The Human Rights Council should heed the rising chorus of concerns by Nigerians, journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and lawyers, and urgently convene a Special Session on the growing human rights crisis in the country.”

The organization also said: “Consistent with its mandate to prevent human rights violations and respond promptly to human rights emergencies, the Human Rights Council should address the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in several states of Nigeria as a matter of priority.”

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