Arrest of Covid-19 patients: Amnesty says Infectious Disease Bill violates human rights

Amnesty International says that the Infectious Disease Bill which is before the House of Representatives violates the human rights provisions of the Nigerian constitution and  international human rights.

“The current bill is repressive and falls short of Nigeria’s constitutional and International Human rights,” Amnesty said in a tweet on Tuesday.

 
The bill, which is  aimed at containing the spread of infectious diseases, gives the health minister the right to convert any building into an isolation centre while the Nigerian police would be able to arrest any individual that contracts an infectious disease without a warrant.

Human rights activists in the country believe that such laws  will be open to abuse by political office holders.

Amnesty Nigeria said, “We are monitoring the situation regarding the Infectious Diseases bill before the House of Representatives. It is important that adequate and meaningful consultation takes place.”

The human rights body added,”The current draft contains overly broad provisions and powers that would be used to restrict people’s human rights, contrary to the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights obligations.

“The Infectious diseases bill fails on three fundamental issues: 1. Compelling/Forcing people to take vaccines. (2) Excessive powers (3) Violation of multiple rights: liberty, movement, life, property, peaceful association, expression etc.”