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MRA DEMANDS RELEASE OF OLATUNJI DARE’S
PASSPORT
The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) is deeply concerned by the
continued harassment of journalists by security agents of the Federal
Government as exemplified in last weekend’s seizure of the international
passport of Dr Olatunji Dare, former Chairman of the Editorial Board of
The Guardian, upon his return from the United States.
The MRA is further concerned that the seizure has taken
place in the face of a subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal (in
Olisa Agbakoba Vs. The Director, State Security Service delivered on June
23, 1993) which renders such a seizure illegal and unconditional.
We view the seizure as a breach of Nigeria’s Charter on
Human and People’s’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights and other such human rights instruments.
The MRA demands the immediate release of Dr. Dare’s
passport and requests the Military Government to commit itself to a
programme of respect for human rights consistent with a programme
“transition” to democratic rule.
It is only by so doing that it can persuade the
international community to allow it re-enter the fold of civilized nations
as it prepares to face further international tests before the Commonwealth
Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) meeting in July and the Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in October in the United Kingdom.
The Media Rights Agenda works for the promotion and
protection of press freedom and freedom of expression in Nigeria. It has
observer status with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights
and is a component of the FEDERC FOUNDATION which is registered under
Nigerian Law as a non-governmental organization.
For further information, please contact:
Edetaen Ojo
Executive Director
Tel: 1-860456
Fax: 1-862412
E-mail: mra@rcl.nig.com
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