Introduction:

The Islamic Movement of Nigeria has suffered from various massacres, the wrongful imprisonment of its leaders and constant demonisation, all by organs of the Nigerian state. The 2015 Zaria Massacre, after which their leader Sheikh Ibrahim el-Zakzaky and his wife Mallimah were arrested, saw the killing of over 1000 people by the police, who admitted to dumping the bodies into mass graves.  After tireless campaigning by human rights organisations and activists both within Nigeria and across the World, they were released, years after the highest court in Nigeria demanded it. Yet the government has still refused to release their travel documents to them, making it impossible for them to leave Nigeria. This is a tactic done to not let them tell their story to the World, and avoid putting them in an uncomfortable position, whilst the court itself has said that the medical attention that Zakzaky needs is not available in Nigeria, and that he must travel abroad. It is absolutely disgraceful that the oppression of this couple, and the movement that the Sheikh leads, is still going on despite he himself being wrongfully imprisoned, shot by the police and left without medical treatment despite being severely ill as a result of his treatment.

Action Required:

1. IHRC has been working on the persecution of the Islamic Movement since we started in 1997. Some of our founders were working on this issue for much longer. We are the only organisation authorised to collect money for this cause. Please visit the dedicated Nigeria fundraising campaign to donate:  https://donations.ihrc.org.uk/Nigeria
2. Write to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights demanding that Sheikh Zakzakys travel documents be returned to him. Forward any responses to info@ihrc.orgso we can develop this campaign further.
3. Share this alert and the reports and resources, and encourage others to join this campaign.

Model Letter:

[Your name]

[Your address]

[Date]

Madame Michelle Bachelet Jeria
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Palais Wilson
52 Rue des Paquis
CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland

[Date sent]

Dear Madam High Commissioner

Re: Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and Mallimah Zakzaky

I am writing to urge your intervention in order to help secure the travel documents of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim el-Zakzaky, and his spouse Mallimah Zeenah, from the country’s authorities.

Since the pair were released from illegal detention last July, they have been prevented from flying abroad to seek much needed medical treatment by Nigerian authorities who continue to refuse to return their passports.

The couple are taking legal action seeking the restoration of their passports but face stalling tactics from the government which seems determined to deny them the freedom of movement that is their constitutional right.

It is not disputed that the specialist treatment the Zakzakys need is not available in Nigeria.

Sheikh Zakzaky has lead poisoning after sustaining four gunshot injuries during the 2015 massacre of Islamic Movement of Nigeria members and supporters by the country’s armed forces. The toxicity is believed to be a direct result of the shrapnel from bullets left in his body. The sheikh has also lost sight in one eye and the use of one arm and has suffered several strokes.

Mallimah Zeenah is also seriously ill with high blood pressure and can barely walk because of a bullet trapped near her spine.

Their ongoing maltreatment, and the endless adjournment of court hearings, supports the view that after wrongly incarcerating the couple for over five years the Nigerian authorities are continuing their witchhunt against the couple and abusing the judicial system to keep them in Nigeria in the hope that they will die quietly.

The case of the Zakzakys is making a mockery of rule of law and due process. At every stage of their ordeal the Nigerian government has flagrantly flouted the country’s laws and its citizens’ fundamental rights with impunity.

We urge you to do everything in your power to impress upon the Nigerian government the wrongfulness of their actions, the importance of upholding the country’s constitutional and internationally agreed human rights and the medical urgency to restore the Zakzakys’ passports.

Yours sincerely

[Your name]

Address:

Madame Michelle Bachelet Jeria
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Palais Wilson
52 Rue des Paquis
CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland