Responding to the resumed trial of #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said:
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must immediately and unconditionally order the release of all #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters still unlawfully detained nationwide solely for exercising their right to peaceful protest. Detaining protesters since August and charging them with bizarre offences, including ‘treasonable felony’ and ‘terrorism-related offences,’ shows the Nigerian government’s utter disregard for the right to freedom of assembly.
Isa Sanusi, Director Amnesty International Nigeria
“The 114 protesters arraigned today at the Federal High Court, Abuja, have done nothing unlawful and do not deserve the horrifying treatment they have endured since their arrest. Among the 76 protesters arraigned in the first group today, the majority are minors, and the collapse of four in the courtroom underscores the poor state of their mental and physical health. Subjecting minors to such horrifying detention for demanding good governance reveals the government’s clear determination to crush dissent.”
“In Katsina, 12 children under 16 years old are also facing an unfair trial. Many of these children ended up in detention simply for being on the streets during the protests. Children with their whole lives ahead of them are now at risk of being tried on trumped-up charges. This is unacceptable. In the aftermath of the protests in August, over 1,000 people were detained nationwide, and some lost their lives in Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Niger State, and Maiduguri due to violent crackdowns on peaceful protests by security personnel.”
“Detaining minors unlawfully and subjecting them to sham trials marks a new dimension in the Nigerian government’s persistent attacks on human rights. With millions of people on the brink of starvation, widespread malnutrition, and deepening poverty, President Bola Tinubu’s government should urgently address widespread hunger and the rapidly failing standard of living, instead of prioritizing the punishment of protesters.”