COVID-19: Falana writes to ECOWAS court, makes demand 

Femi Falana, A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), has demanded the ECOWAS Court of Justice located in Abuja to facilitate online filing court processes.

Falana made the request in a letter titled, “Request to promote and facilitate online filing processes for the Community Court of Justice,” to the President of the Court, Justice Edward Amoako Asante.

He suggested that the court could improved technology like Skype or Zoom to improve access to justice for victims of human rights’ violations.

According to him, this would enable the court to attend to urgent matters especially at this time of coronavirus pandemic.

“This is also entirely consistent with the practices of other regional human rights’ bodies, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“Similarly, the United Nations special mechanisms are allowing victims and their representatives to file communications online,” he said.

Falana further advised the court to take the advantage of internet technology to facilitate justice for victims with human rights’ violations and abuses across the continent, especially at this time of COVID-19 pandemic, NAN reports.

“The filing of processes should be done electronically and sensitive information such as financial information can be removed to address any privacy or security concerns that may arise.

“Public electronic access to court files should be permitted to the same extent that they are available at the court registry.

“Furthermore, the public interest in obtaining information on litigation and the operation of the Community Court favour electronic disclosure,” Falana added.

The ECOWAS court of Justice is an organ of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) comprising 15 member states in West Africa.

The court of Justice, hears its cases from Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivore, Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali,, Sierra Leone and Togo.