Revised Hate Speech fine is unconstitutional and illegal – SERAP

Revised Hate Speech fine –The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has described the hate speech fine as illegal and unconstitutional.

READ ALSO: FG increases hate speech fine from N500k to N5m

Recall DailyTimes reported that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday disclosed that the penalty for hate speech has increased from N500,000 to N5 million,  at the unveiling ceremony of the reviewed Nigeria Broadcasting Code organized by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in Lagos.

However, reacting, SERAP in a tweet  on Tuesday, described the reversed hate speech fine as ‘unconstitutional and illegal, while adding that it would be challenged in court.

In the tweet, “We’re calling on President Buhari to immediately reverse the unconstitutional and illegal increase in ‘hate speech fine’ from N500,000 to N5m

“We’ll fight to challenge this illegality in court to make sure that the fine doesn’t become another tool for repression.

 “This fine would further curtail freedom of expression and open the door for law enforcement officials to target critics.

READ ALSO: Avoid fake news, hate speech, AGF urges journalists

“The fine fails to meet the standards of legality, necessity and proportionality in article 19(3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“The Buhari government should be removing restrictions on freedom of expression, not imposing heavy fines that risk stifling critical public debate on important issues.

“The leadership of the National Assembly should publicly condemn this restriction on constitutional rights.”