Commonwealth monitoring Twitter ban

By Adebisi Onanuga

 

The Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland QC, has said the Commonwealth is “closely monitoring developments around the suspension of Twitter, and allegations of repression of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, media freedom, and disregard for the rule of law in Nigeria”.

Ms. Scotland also said: “All Commonwealth member-countries, including Nigeria, have obligations and commitments to uphold freedom of expression as one of the core values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter.

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“This underscores a commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant human rights covenants and international instruments.”

The statement by the Commonwealth followed an appeal by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) urging Ms. Scotland to “apply the Commonwealth Charter to hold the Nigerian government to account over the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, and the resulting repression of freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom”.

SERAP’s Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare announced this yesterday in a statement in Lagos.