(ii) Every individual shall have the right to express and disseminate his opinion
within the law.
The
plaintiffs
also
relied
on Article
66
of the
Revised
Treaty
of ECOWAS,
jt
provides:
1. In order to involve
regional
integration
more
closely the citizens
process,
Member
States
of the Community
agree
to co- operate
area of information.
>,
3
7 a) to maintain within their borders, and between
for
in the
:
To this end they undertake as follows:
access
in the
professionals
of
the
one another, freedom of
communication
industry
and
for
information sources,
4 b) to facilitate
promote
exchange
and
of information
foster effective
between
dissemination
their
press
organs, to
of information
within the
Community;
} to ensure respect for the rights of journalists;
d) to take
measures
to
encourage
investment
Capital,
both
public
and
private, in the communication industries in Member States;.
e) to
modernize
the
media
by
introducing
training facilities
for
new.
. information techniques; and
f)
to promote
;
and encourage
dissemination
of information
in indigenous
languages, strengthening co-operation between national. pees agencies
and developing linkages between them.
These provisions guarantee the right to life and also freedom
right to life imposes
bring
pérpetrators
of expression.
The
an obligation on States to investigate all acts of crime and
to
book.
A
State
will
be
neglecting
its
obligation
under
international law and treaty if it does not carry out effective investigations into
crimes committed
on its territory. A State also will be in breach of international
law and treaty obligations if it fails to protect media practitioners including those
Critical of the
regime.
Criticize the government
For freedom
of expression
also includes the freedom
to
and its functionaries subject to limitations imposed
“i
the domestic laws. Article 2(3)(a) of International
Covenant on Civil and
Politica
.