{
  "id": 15986376,
  "title": "Advocates warn against selective human rights defence",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/advocates-warn-against-selective-human-rights-defence-15986376",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-22T02:14:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/advocates-warn-against-selective-human-rights-defence/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Human rights advocates in Nigeria are urging a shift away from selective defence of fundamental rights, emphasizing the need for impartiality, accountability, and human rights education. At a public lecture in Lagos, titled \"Understanding Human Rights Beyond Emotion and Personal Interests,\" speakers including a University of Lagos professor and the committee's president warned that emotional reactions, political affiliations, and personal interests were compromising the credibility of rights advocacy. Prof. Tunde Babawale, the lead speaker, stressed that rights defense should not depend on one's interests, but rather uphold justice and protect accused persons' rights. He highlighted corruption as a major barrier to human rights protection and called for greater attention to economic, social, and cultural rights. The president of the committee, Debo Adeniran, urged activists to defend rights irrespective of political, ethnic, or religious affiliations, and to prioritize evidence-based campaigns and institutional accountability over personal sympathies. He reminded that defending a person's fundamental rights does not mean endorsing all their actions or opinions. The lecture also called for stronger institutional commitment to protecting fundamental rights, promoting equality, and incorporating human rights education in school curricula and community programs.",
  "summary": "Human rights advocates in Nigeria have warned against the selective defence of rights based on emotions or personal interests, calling for impartiality. Read More: https://punchng.com/advocates-warn-against-selective-human-rights-defence/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Advocates warn against selective human rights defence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/advocates-warn-against-selective-human-rights-defence",
        "published": "2026-10-22T02:04:51.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}