From: Islamic Human Rights Commission
11 April 2020
Nigeria Digest #115 (Volume 3 Issue 47)– Take Action: Write to your country’s Nigerian ambassador / High Commissioner and copy in the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Outrage over denial of amnesty for Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife amid the Covid-19 crisis.
You can find all the latest actions and information, as well as background to the campaign, information, videos, audio, and details on the Sheikh on the Free Zakzaky campaign page. The Nigeria Digest is a weekly summary of the campaign to #FreeZakzaky and all who are illegally detained, focusing on the Islamic Movement of Nigeria.
Introduction
Action Alert
Articles
Videos
Archive
INTRODUCTION
During this week due to the covid-19 crisis, the president of Nigeria, gave pardon to prisoners aged over 60 and those suffering from severe health conditions but Sheikh Zakzaky and Muallima Zeenah, who are both over 60 and in severe health conditions were not released. Find details of how to campaign below.
Please help support those injured by police brutality, and the families of those killed by the security services, by donating to the IHRC Trust Nigeria Fund here.
Above all, please remember all the oppressed in your dua.
#FreeZakzaky!
IHRC are calling upon campaigners to write to their country’s Nigerian ambassador / High Commissioner and copy in the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention demanding the Nigerian authorities order these releases immediately. A model letter is provided.
Model email
Dear [Insert Ambassador / High Commissioner’s name],
I am shocked to find that the Nigerian president’s amnesty on 9 April to 2500 prisoners did not include Sheikh El-Zakzaky and Muallima Zeenah and indeed other political and relevant prisoners.
Sheikh El-Zakzaky and Muallima Zeenah continue to be held in illegal detention despite a 2016 federal high court ruling their detention to be unlawful and unconstitional. I am writing to you to urge your government to release Sheikh Ibraheem el-Zakzaky, his wife Muallima Zeenah immediately. Their continued illegal detention in Kaduna State prison poses a high risk to their health especially in the current Corona virus climate.
This is a policy that needs to be implemented quickly in Nigeria not just for the Sheikh and his wife, who both have underlying health conditions, for all prisoners wherever possible for the sake of justice in these cases but also the sake of Nigerian society as a whole.
[Signed if posting]
[Your name]
Recipient Addresses
Click on following link to find the name, address and contact details of the relevant diplomat in your country:
https://www.embassypages.com/nigeria
Selected names and email addresses of Ambassadors / High Commissioners can be found below. Please contact us info[AT]ihrc.org if you have trouble finding the details of your country.
Please remember to also cc/ in Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: wgad@ohchr.org
UK: Mr Olukunle A. Bamgbose, Acting High Commissioner, information@nigeriahc.org.uk, chancery@nigeriahc.org
France: Mr Hakeem O. Sulaiman , Ambassador, embassy@nigeriafrance.com
Malaysia: Nurudeen Muhammed , Chargé d’Affaires, info@nigeria.org.my/ nigeriankl@yahoo.com
Turkey: Mr Ahmed Abdulhamid, Ambassador, embassynigeriaturkey@gmail.com
Iran: Mr Hamzat Ibrahim, Ambassador, ngrembtehran@yahoo.com/info@nigeriaembassyiran.com
India: Mr Sola Enikanolaye , High Commisioner, nigeria.new-delhi@foreignaffairs.gov.ng
nhcnder@vsnl.in
Sweden: Mrs Jane Ada Ndem, Chargé d’Affaires a.i.info@nigerianembassy.nu
ARTICLES AND RESOURCES
IHRC ALERT: Nigeria – Demand Buhari release Sheikh Zakzaky now
10 April 2020
On April 9, the president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari gave pardon to 2500 prisoners in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pardon includes prisoners aged over 60 and those suffering from severe health conditions. Whilst IHRC welcomes this humanitarian move, we also note that Sheikh Zakzaky and Muallima Zeenah, who are both over 60 and in severe health conditions were not released.
Click here to see the alert details
Zakzakys not included in presidential prisoner pardon
09 April 2020 – IHRC Press Release
IHRC notes today’s pardon by Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari of 2500 prisoners nationwide in a bid to reduce overcrowding in the country’s prisons in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although the pardon includes prisoners aged over 60 and those suffering from ill-health likely to lead to death, Sheikh Ibrahim el-Zakzaky and his wife Mallima Zeenah are not among those being freed.
The pair continue to be held despite a 2016 federal high court ruling that their detention is unlawful and unconstitutional. To this date the Nigerian authorities have failed to implement the court order to release them by January 16, 2017 and pay compensation. Click here for details.
VIDEOS
Nigeria: The Zaria Massacres and the Role of the Military
Published on 19 October 2014
Click on the following link to watch the IHRC Side Panel at UN Human Rights Council, 18 September 2014
An Appeal for Victims of Violence in Nigeria
Published on 27 May 2019
The Nigerian authorities have attacked the Islamic Movement of Nigeria leaving dozens dead. They need your help now. Support medical costs for those injured in police and army violence against the Islamic Movement. Support the families of those killed.
ARCHIVE
Click hereto read Arzu Merali’s blog “The Unbearable Shianess of Mu’allim Ibraheem El-Zakzaky” published on 21 December 2017.
Click here to read the letter by IHRC Chair Massoud Shadjareh to the ICC regarding the preservation of Zaria massacre-evidence. published on 30 November 2017.
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IHRC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
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The opinions expressed in this digest do not necessarily reflect the views of IHRC
