From: Islamic Human Rights Commission
30 June 2021
Nigeria Digest #138 – Take action and write to your Foreign Minister
The court hearing to dismiss the case against Sheikh Zakzaky and Mualima Zeenah will resume on the 1st July 2021. During this week IHRC published “Nigeria Donor’s Report”
You can find all the latest actions and information and the background to the campaign, videos and audio at the Free Zakzaky campaign page.
Introduction
Action Alert
Articles
Videos
Archive
Introduction
The court hearing to dismiss the case against Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife resumes on 1st July, we request campaigners to write to their Foreign Minister to put pressure on the Nigerian authorities. During this week IHRC published Nigeria Donor’s report with the accounts of the distribution of the funds raised to support the persecuted members and those perceived to be members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, the figures mentioned in this report cover annual spending up to 18th February 2021.
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!
Action Alert
IHRC requests all campaigners to write to the Foreign Minister of their country to demand the Nigerian authorities release Sheikh and Mallima immediately and ensure the malicious prosecution of all the members of the Islamic Movement ceases immediately.
A model email/letter is also provided should you use it and emails for key countries. Please keep all correspondence polite.
Model Email
Subject: Urgent – Release Sheikh Zakzaky and Muallima Zeenah immediately
Dear [Insert Foreign Minister’s name],
I am writing to inform you about the continued illegal detention of Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and Muallima Zeenah. Over five years now, the Sheikh and his wife have been kept in unlawful detention.
A High Court ruling ordering the couple’s release in 2017 has never been implemented. And since they were charged in 2018, the Zakzakys’ trial has been adjourned several times, reinforcing the view that Nigerian authorities are abusing the judicial system to keep them in prison in the hope that they will die quietly in custody. Currently hearing to dismiss the case against them resumes on 1st July, at the Kaduna High Court.
I write to ask your office to make immediate interventions with the Nigerian authorities demanding they desist. Your office must seriously consider what punitive actions you can take unilaterally and part of international organisations, if necessary, to facilitate Nigeria’s compliance with fundamental human rights standards.
I trust you will make immediate representations.
I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
Recipient email addresses:
Selected names and email addresses of Ministers of Foreign Affairs can be found below. Please contact us at info@ihrc.org if you have trouble finding the details of your country’s Minister.
United Kingdom
Dominic Raab
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Turkey
MevlütÇavuşoğlu
Minister of Foreign Affairs
http://www.mfa.gov.tr/contact-us.en.mfa
Australia
Senator Marise Payne
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Bangladesh
HE Mr. AK Abdul Momen, MP
Foreign Minister
Bolivia
Diego Pary
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Igor Crnadak
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Canada
The Hon. Chrystia Freeland
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Finland
PekkaHaavisto
Minister for Foreign Affairs
France
Jean-Yves Le Drian
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development
India
Dr.SubrahmanyamJaishankar
Minister of External Affairs
Indonesia
RetnoMarsudi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Iran
H.E. Mohammad Javad Zarif
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ireland
Simon Coveney
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Senator Kamina Johnson-Smith
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
Malaysia
The Hon. Dato’ Saifuddin bin Abdullah
Minister of Foreign Affairs
anifah@kln.gov.my / pro.ukk@kln.gov.my
The Netherlands
Stef Blok
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Norway
Ine Marie EriksenSøreide
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Pakistan
Shah Mehmood Qureshi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
asif.na110@na.gov.pk / fax: 051-9207600
South Africa
Lindiwe Sisulu
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
Spain
Josep Borrell
Minister of Foreign Affairs & Cooperation
Articles
IHRC Nigeria donor’s report and plea for further support
25 June 2021
This report provides the accounts of the distribution of the funds that IHRC has raised to support the persecuted members and those perceived to be members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria. The state violence is directed towards civilians. The aid is distributed to the families of those who have been unlawfully killed by the security forces, victims of state violence who are being treated in hospitals or recovering at home, prisoners of faith and students. The aid is distributed in the form of food, Qurbani, surgery costs, medicine and student bursaries. The figures mentioned in this report cover annual spending up to 18th February 2021. Click here to read the report.
Press Release: Nigeria – Time to release Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, Mallima Zeenah
24 June 2021
As hearing to dismiss the case resumes on 1st July, campaigners and advocates reiterate their call for justice. Click here to read the press release.
Pro Zakzaky Protest in Abuja on Wednesday
23 June 2021
Pro Zakzaky protest staged in Abuja on Wednesday the 23rd of June 2021. The protesters condemned Government continued detention of Sheikh Zakzaky and wife for over 5 years.
Pro Zakzaky Protest in Abuja
10 June 2021
Daily Free Zakzaky protest staged by the followers of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, demanding for his immediate and unconditional release from unlawful detention; in Banex Plaza, Wuse II district of FCT Abuja.
Sheikh Zakzaky’s 2000 Days in Detention: Nationwide Protests staged
03 June 2021
Protests were staged in different towns and cities on Thursday the 3rd of June 2021 condemning the continued detention of the Leader of the Islamic Movement Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and wife for their continued detention for 2000 days.
Videos
Find more videos from recent weeks as well as the archives on the Free Zakzaky audio and video page.
Find a selection below.
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 here to read IHRC PRESS RELEASE – Nigeria: Evidence emerges of mass burials after Arbaeen massacre, published on 24 November 2016
Click here to read A Letter by IHRC Chair Massoud Shadjareh to President Buhari regarding possible attacks on Arbaeen processions in Nigeria, the letter was sent on 08 November 2016.
Follow the IHRC #FreeZakzaky campaign for all the latest action alerts, press releases, reports, background, videos and more.
The Nigeria Digest is a weekly summary of the campaign to free all who are illegally detained focusing on the Islamic Movement of Nigeria.