Amnesty International says it will partner with the media on adequately documenting, reporting, and exposing violators of human rights, and seeking redress for victims.
Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the Amnesty International Nigeria’s Board Chairman, said this at its media parley on Thursday in Lagos.
Rafsanjani said that the partnership was necessary, because it desired to acquaint journalists and media practitioners with the human rights situation in Nigeria, so they could have a good understanding of it.
“We note that there are some human rights abuses that have happened in recent times in Nigeria that got poor reportage.
“This gives rise to the need for Amnesty International to synergise with journalists and media practitioners, so as to continue to advance the noble goals of human rights and justice in Nigeria.
“The purpose of this synergy will be to provide journalists and media practitioners with a unique opportunity to engage directly with our representatives.
“Through this forum, we will provide answers to your questions and concerns, so that the media can gain insight into our human rights agenda and strategy,’’ he said.
The board chairman said that the partnership would involve forming a formidable network of journalists and media practitioners, covering human rights across Nigeria.
He stressed that through the partnership, journalists and media practitioners would be equipped with the necessary tools for human rights documentation and reporting.
Rafsanjani added that the partnership would assist it in building a network of media personnel to propagate Amnesty International’s work in Nigeria and globally.
He said that another aim of the forum was to underscore the need for journalists and media practitioners to heighten the call for military and security agencies’ accountability.
Rafsanjani added that it was also to ensure that accountability was included in the military framework in Nigeria.“Journalistsitary framework in Nigeria.“Journalists need to be acquainted with the Provision of Chapter Four of the constitution which deals with fundamental human rights.
“Also, since we are now in the age of social media, unlike when I started this job, things have been made easier through video recordings of certain infractions.
“Fortunately, there are a couple of WhatsApp platforms created for the purpose of capturing human rights infractions and more can still be created. Through these platforms, a number of cases have been resolved or escalated,” he said.
On his part, Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), commended Amnesty International and all other human rights groups for their advocacy.
Falana said that Nigeria had one of the best human rights laws regime on paper, adding that some of these laws could not be found in the U.S. or Britain.
“Today, Nigeria has one of the best human rights laws regime on paper, laws you can’t find in America or Britain. Already mentioned is the Africa Charter on Human Rights, socio-econmomic rights, the Police Establishment Act 2020, we have the law against the rejection of patients by hospitals, and so many others.
“However, the question is, “with all these laws, where are we? What should we do next? How do we enforce this laws to ensure that the rights of our people are upheld?”
“This are questions which I would urge Amnesty International to make the subject of our next meeting,’’ he said.
