The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Amnesty International (AI) have called on President Bola Tinubu to order the withdrawal of charges filed against activist Omoyele Sowore, as well as against the owners of X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, over posts deemed critical of the president.
In a letter dated September 20, 2025, jointly signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare and Amnesty International Nigeria Director Isa Sanusi, the groups urged the president to also direct the State Security Service (SSS) to stop misusing judicial processes to silence public criticism. They argued that the practice amounts to Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), which constitute harassment and violate Nigerians’ fundamental rights.
The groups maintained that the weaponisation of the justice system runs contrary to the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 as amended, and breaches the country’s human rights obligations under international law. They stressed that SLAPP and criminal defamation lawsuits are neither necessary nor proportionate and instead create a chilling effect that undermines freedom of expression and the circulation of ideas.
According to them, a case is already before the ECOWAS Court challenging the legality and compatibility of the amended Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2024 with the right to freedom of expression and information. They emphasised that until the matter is resolved, security and law enforcement agencies cannot legitimately invoke the Act to stifle peaceful dissent.
The letter further urged the Tinubu administration to prevent harassment of citizens through legal processes, safeguard the independence of the courts, and respect the rule of law. It noted that the use of SLAPP and defamation suits is fundamentally incompatible with the principles of democracy, stressing that public officials must tolerate a higher level of criticism due to their positions in society.
Reported by: Stone Reporters News
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