Amnesty, SERAP kick against media intimidation

Amnesty International and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned the intimidation, harassment and threat by the Department of State Services (DSS) against two broadcast stations, Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Channels Television over their alleged reports on the involvement of the DSS in the Lagos State House of Assembly crisis.
  
The organisation urged President Bola Tinubu to direct security agencies to immediately stop intimidating and harassing media houses, journalists and other civil society actors for exercising their human rights and carrying out their constitutional and professional duties.
  
On February 17, independent media organisations across Nigeria reported what staff of Lagos State House of Assembly described as an ‘invasion’ of the House by the operatives of the DSS. The DSS, through its lawyers, then threatened Africa Independent Television (AIT), Channels Television and other newspapers with civil and criminal lawsuits should the stations fail to retract their reports on the events at the Lagos Assembly and publish apologies within seven days. 
  
Although the Assembly said it requested ‘security coverage’ from the DSS, it expressed concern that the Assembly did not request the security agency to bar access to the offices of its leadership or stop lawmakers from doing their work.
 

The intimidation of the broadcast stations, according to the organisations, is yet another example of the growing crackdown on the rights to freedom of expression, information and media freedom under the federal government. 
  
“The intimidation, harassment and threat of legal action against AIT and Channels TV are designed to stifle scrutiny and public debate on issues of public interest.
  
“The DSS and other security and law enforcement agencies should stop using the Cybercrime Act to target the media, journalists and civil society activists solely for peacefully exercising their human rights and carrying out their constitutional and professional duties.
  
“Media houses and journalists ought to be given the room to determine how best to present information of public interest. The intimidation and harassment of these broadcast stations would lessen the flow of diverse viewpoints and information to the public.”
  
The groups added that it was contrary to both the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights standards to intimidate, harass, threaten or punish journalists and media houses such as AIT and Channels TV solely for carrying out their professional duties.