Amnesty International seeks end to Sowore’s trial, condemns treatment of deposed Kano Emir, Sanusi

The global human rights group, Amnesty International has asks the Federal Government to end what it described as the unfair trail against rights activist, journalist and convener of #RevolutionNowCampaign, Mr. Omoyele Sowore.

This is even as the International Human Rights watchdog has raised an eyebrow against what it termed as violation of deposed Emir Muhammadu Sanusi’s fundamental human rights.

The human rights group posited that the way the government was going about his case against Sowore reveals a hidden agenda to silence him by all means.

Media Manager, Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, who stated this noted that the Nigerian Government must stop politically motivated charges against critics.

He said, “Omoyele Sowore is in court again today facing an unfair trial. We are again calling on Nigerian authorities to drop all charges against him.

“In November 2019 we declared him a Prisoner of Conscience solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression.

“The case of Sowore shows just how far the authorities in Nigeria can go to silence their critics.

 “The government of President Muhammadu Buhari needs to stop filing bogus and politically motivated charges against critics and start listening to what they are saying.”

Sowore, who was a Presidential candidate in the general 2019 elections was arrested in the early hours of August 3, 2019 by operatives of the Department of State Services for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations on August 5 to demand a better country from the administration of President Buhari.

He was kept in detention from that period until December 5, 2019 when he was finally released on bail despite two court orders earlier sanctioning his freedom.

In a twist of event, DSS operatives invaded the Federal High Court in Abuja on December 6, 2019 to re-arrest him without any court order.

He remained in unlawful detention until 18 days later when he was released by the secret police for the second time.

At the resumption of his trial in a case brought against him by the Nigerian Government, the prosecution failed to prove accusations against him and even went ahead to dropping seven of the charges earlier preferred against him.

The trial resumed yesterday and this time government is accusing him of attempting to overthrow Buhari’s administration by calling on citizens to protest against the regime.

Meanwhile the human rights group, Amnesty International, has reacted to the dethronement and ‘banishment’ of former Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II by the government of Kano State.

Reacting in a series of tweets on Tuesday, March 10, the Nigerian offshoot of the international human right group raised concern over the security and constitutional rights and freedom of the deposed emir.

Amnesty said the move by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led Kano government to hold Sanusi in ‘incommunicado’ is suggestive of a gross violation of his fundamental rights.

“Amnesty International calls on Nigerian authorities to respect the human rights of former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II; his right to dignity, freedom of expression and freedom of movement,” the group said.

Amnesty International also raised an eyebrow against what it termed a violation of the former emir’s right as guaranteed by the international human rights law.

The group called on the appropriate authorities in Nigeria to respect the right of the former traditional ruler.

“Amnesty International calls on the Nigerian authorities to take steps to protect and respect the former Emir’s fundamental human rights in accordance to the rule of law,” the group further said.