Democracy and Right to Freedom of Expression: A Case Study on the Nigerian Youth Protest on Police Brutality ()
ABSTRACT
It is stated that both under the constitution of
Nigeria and under the African Charter on Human People’s Rights, persons in any
part of Nigeria have the fundamental human right to privately and publicly
freely express their disproval or objection over an issue through a protest any
time or day. In history, protests have often inspired positive social change
and improved protection of human rights, and they continue to help define and
protect civic space in all parts of the world. In a democratic Nation like
Nigeria, Protests encourage the development of an engaged and informed
citizenry and strengthen representative democracy by enabling direct
participation in public affairs. They enable individuals and groups to express
dissent and grievances, to share views and opinions, to expose flaws in
governance and to publicly demand that the authorities and other powerful
entities solve problems and are accountable for their actions as seen in the
case of the Nigeria Youths protest on police brutality. Yet governments around
the world too often treat protests as either an inconvenience to be controlled
or a threat to be extinguished. In a democratic Nation, the right to freedom of
expression which could come through peaceful protests, involves the exercise of
numerous fundamental human rights, and it is essential for securing all human
rights, which the citizens should not be denied off by any person in power.
Share and Cite:
Chisom, O. (2021) Democracy and Right to Freedom of Expression: A Case Study on the Nigerian Youth Protest on Police Brutality.
Open Journal of Political Science,
11, 34-53. doi:
10.4236/ojps.2021.111004.