Amnesty International stated that the Nigerian Senate is currently considering two harsh bills on Nigerians relating to freedom of expression through social media, including one which proposes the death penalty for ‘hate speech.’ These bills are supported by the Nigerian government. These bills represent an alarming escalation in the authorities’ attempts to censor and punish social media users for freely expressing their opinions.
The proposed National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech bill, and the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation and other Related Offences bill, give authorities arbitrary powers to shut down the internet and limit access to social media, and make criticizing the government punishable with penalties of up to three years in prison.
Nowadays, Social media is one of the remaining places where Nigerians can express their opinions freely. The harassment of journalists and bloggers and the introduction of the Cyber Crimes Act have already shrunk the civic space and created a climate of fear,” said Seun Bakare, Programmes Manager Amnesty International Nigeria.
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