SAN FRANCISCO, June 19, (THEWILL) – Solomon Okedara, a Lawyer and Global Research Fellow, International Centre for Not for profit Law (ICNL), Washington DC, has instituted a legal action challenging the constitutionality of Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act, 2015 asking the court to declare the section unconstitutional, null and void.
According to Okedara, the statutory provision is cancerous to Freedom of Expression insisting that some persons arrested, detained or being prosecuted under that law have only acted within the purview of exercise of their Freedom of Expression as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The last two years have been marked with cases of arrests, detentions and prosecutions of Nigerians in connection with speeches and expressions made on social media platforms ranging from Facebook posts to Tweets and to blogs,” he told THEWILL.
“Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act, 2015 is the law under which Nigerians have been and are being booked in this regard.
“Some of the persons arrested, detained or being prosecuted have only acted within the purview of exercise of their Freedom of Expression as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The law, in very vague, overbroad and impermissible terms restrict and criminalizes expressions and speeches made via computer systems or networks including social media.
“Realizing that the statutory provision is cancerous to Freedom of Expression and the need to engender unbridled Freedom of Expression at all legal costs, I recently instituted a legal action challenging the constitutionality of Section 24 (1) of the Cybercrime Act, 2015 asking the court to declare the section unconstitutional, null and void.
“This is one suit that would excite journalists, bloggers, lawyers, human rights activists, civil society actors, lawyers as its victory would mean victory not just for over 190 million Nigerians but also for all lovers of democracy the world over.”
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