Islamic Human Rights Commission
NIGERIA DIGEST 12 January 2019 (Volume 3 Issue 02)

Introduction
Action Alert
Articles
Videos
Archive

INTRODUCTION

Below please find an update on the continuous Free Zakzaky protests. During this week massive protests were organised in front of UN, EU and US Embassy buildings in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

We request campaigners to keep the pressure on the Commonwealth by writing emails/letters, demanding the immediate release of the Sheikh and all those unjustly imprisoned.

Please forward any responses to any campaign letters/ emails you have sent to us and please keep the pressure up and send (follow up) letters/emails.  A model letter is provided below in the Action Alert.

To find out more about the Zaria massacre, read IHRC’s submission to the International Criminal Court HERE

To find out how you can help further, please visit the IHRC FreeZakzaky campaign page HERE

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Free Zakzaky!

ACTION ALERT: 

1. CLICK HERE to know the five things you can do to support the Islamic Movement of Nigeria. You can donate to support the medical expenses of those injured recently by clicking here. 

2. Please send an email to the Commonwealth and demand their intervention in this case, a model letter and contact details of the Commonwealth are also provided below. Please forward any response you receive to IHRC on wajahat@ihrc.org.

Model email / letter
If you are emailing, please use the following in the subject line:
Three Years of Unlawful Detention of Sheikh Zakzaky

Your name
Your address
Date

Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC
Commonwealth Secretariat
Marlborough House
Pall Mall
London
SW1Y 5HX

Dear Baroness Scotland QC,

Re: Three Years of Unlawful Detention of Sheikh Zakzaky

I am writing to ask for your urgent intervention and to apply pressure on the Nigerian authorities to immediately release the unlawfully detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife Zeenah. They have been held in illegal detention for over 3 years.  You are doubtless aware of the details of his case.

On 02 December 2016, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that Sheikh Zakzaky and Muallimah Zeenah should be released within 45 days. The court described their detention, which began in December 2015 as illegal and unconstitutional. The deadline for the court order expired on 16 January 2017 but the Nigerian Government has refused to obey the court order. The Nigerian government has kept them detained illegally for over three years now and Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife still remain in the custody of the state, in clear contempt of the court order.

The Commonwealth’s silence on this issue is putting more innocent lives at risk. Recently Nigerian authorities have killed over 60 peaceful FreeZakzaky protesters, and arrested, tortured, and injured hundreds of them with live bullets in a barbaric attack on ArbaeenTrek 2018.

I am writing to ask for your urgent intervention to allow the illegally detained Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife to leave Nigeria for urgent medical treatment due to their critically deteriorating, life-threatening medical conditions. The Sheikh’s personal doctor confirmed in his most recent report that his only remaining eye is in danger due to chronic glaucoma and recommended him to be taken abroad for urgent treatment by a specialist, as this is not available in any Nigerian hospital.

It is imperative that you apply pressure on the Nigerian authorities so that they stop killing innocent people and adhere to the High Court judgment of December 2016, and release Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife immediately.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours sincerely,
[Name]

Commonwealth Contact Details:
Email: info@commonwealth.int; geneva@commonwealth.int
Postal Address: Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HX, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7747 6500
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7930 0827

ARTICLES AND RESOURCES 

Fresh Peaceful Free Zakzaky Protest Staged on Friday
11 January 2019

Multitude of brothers and sisters in the city of Kaduna on Friday 11/01/2018, staged fresh peaceful protest in the city heart of the state, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, his wife and several other faithful followers in illegal detention for over 3 years.

The protest kicked off in afternoon around 2:30p.m. in Leventis round about, along Ahmadu Bello way, Kaduna.
The protesters as usual, marched chanting different slogans reiterating their demand for the freedom of their leader who had been in illegal detention for over 3 years despite a federal court ruling since December 2nd, 2016, where the court had finally ruled that, the Sheikh should be released within 45 days after acquitting him of any crime.

The protest peacefully terminated along Kano road, a stone’s throw to 69 garage junction, T/Nupawa, Kaduna.

Free Zakzaky Protest at UN building Abuja
10 January 2019

Peaceful Free Zakzaky protesters reached European Union Building in Abuja on Thursday the 10th of January 2018 and presented a statement calling for the immediate release of Sheikh Zakzaky. In a paper signed by Enr Abdullahi M. Musa the protesters  expressed displeasure over silence of EU and other organisations on the killings of hundreds of Sheikh Zakzak’s followers. 

It reads  “While marking one year of Daily-Free-Zakzaky protest in Abuja, I want to remind the public about Zaria massacre and unlawful detention of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) and his wife as well as to express our sadness concerning the silence of the European Union on the matter.

“I am to further remind the public and the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, who is the Head of EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS that following the unfortunate massacre of brothers and sisters of the Islamic Movement under the leadership of his Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H), unlawful detention of Shaikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H), arrest of hundreds of other brothers and sisters, destruction of properties, perpetrated by the Nigerian Army in Zaria, the only response we received from the Buhari-led administration is reckless killing of Free-Zakzaky protesters.

One Year Commemoration of Martyrdom of Sheikh Qasim Umar Sokoto
09 January 2019

Activities marking one year commemoration of the Martyrdom of Sheikh Qasim Umar Sokoto took place in Sokoto on Wednesday the 9th of January 2018. activities include special prayers, procession and visit to his graveyard.

Shahid  Qasim died of serious injureis after  Nigerian security forces opened fire on peaceful free Zakzaky protesters in Abuja last year.

Free Zakzaky Protest in front of US Embassy in Abuja
08 January 2019
Massive Free Zakzaky Protest in Abuja on Tuesday the 8th of January 2019. The protest terminated in front of American Embassy building in Abuja. 
The grave atrocities committed by the Nigerian Army during December 2015 Zaria massacre led to hundreds of children being orphaned; many husbands and wives widowed and scores of Sheikh Zakzaky’s disciples are still languishing in prisons with life-threatening gunshot wounds. 

Free Zakzaky Massive Protest n Abuja on Monday
07 January 2019
Youth arranged a massive Free Zakzaky Protest in Abuja on Monday the 7th of January 2019.
Sheikh Zakzaky has been in illegal detention for more than three years now, in spite of his deteriorating health conditions without proper medical treatment and despite the fact that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered for his immediate and unconditional release since December 2, 2016.

VIDEOS

Message From A Nigerian Christian
Uploaded on September 2018
I am a Christian, Why I am here at a FreeZakzaky Protest, listen to a message from a Nigerian Christian demanding freedom for the Leader of the Islamic Movement. 

Appeal to Help Recent Nigeria Massacre Victims
01 November 2018
The Nigerian authorities have attacked the Islamic Movement of Nigeria leaving dozens dead. They need your help now.

ARCHIVE

April 1998: Zeenah Ibrahim, wife of Mu’allim Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky and six of her children aged between 17 months and 11 years of age were charged with inciting hatred of Nigerian government and insulting President of the military junta, Click Here to read the details.

July 1998: IHRC called on Nigerian regime of General Abubakr Salamu to release Mu’allim Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky, the leader of Nigeria’s Islamic opposition, and all political prisoners from the Muslim Brotherhood, Click Here to read the details.

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IHRC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom

Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Email: info@ihrc.org
Web: www.ihrc.org
Twitter @ihrc

The opinions expressed in this email do not necessarily reflect the views of IHRC