Lawyers, Stakeholders Seek Specialised Court For Digital Violations

Stakeholders in the digital sector have called for the creation of specialised courts in the country to handle cases of digital threats and violations.

The country director, Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) France, Angela Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, said this was part of the resolutions at the E-Rights Second Situation Room programme in Abuja yesterday.

The event, organised by ASF France, also known as Lawyers Without  Borders France, was attended by representatives of regulatory agencies, civil society organisations, the academia and security agencies.

Uzoma-Iwuchukwu said the justification that had been given by the stakeholders for such call was the fact that various courts were currently congested and issues around fundamental rights should be given priority.

“We do not want instances where strategic litigation is brought, for example, by e-rights as we are currently doing on the project and then, it stays for many years before it is even heard because of the slow justice system.

“Having a specialised court as argued by the stakeholders will create an opportunity for quick dispensation on these cases and also quick Justice coming on,” she said.

She said the second situation room was convened to enhance respect for digital rights in Nigeria.

The executive director, Centre for Information and Technology Development (CITAD), Yunusa Ya’u, said the situation room was to see how more tractions could be created to promote e-rights in Nigeria.

He said the country needs a digital rights law.

According to him, over the last eight years, there has been a bill on digital rights in the National Assembly which has gone through different processes, including being passed by the Senate and House of Representatives.

“But the former president did not assent to the bill. So it failed and now, we want it back.

“We hope that the National Assembly we look into it and the president will duly assent to it into law,” he said.

He said the stakeholders also demanded an immediate review of the Cybercrime Act to ensure that cyber criminals are targeted, rather than being used to harass and criminalise criticisms in government

Wynyfred Achu-Egbuson, the Programme Manager, CSO and Youths, the European Union Delegation in Nigeria, said issue of human rights is one of their core values.

She said the EU would continue to ensure that government continues to engage with its citizens and where there are instances of infringement of human rights, the organisation would lend its voice to addressing it.