Islamic Human Rights Commission
NIGERIA DIGEST 02 February 2019 (Volume 3 Issue 04)

Introduction
Action Alert
Articles
Videos
Archive

INTRODUCTION

Below please find an update on the continuous Free Zakzaky protests. IHRC welcomed the Kaduna court orders to allow Sheikh Zakzaky medical treatment from experts of his choice but the Nigerian authorities have earlier disobeyed higher Federal court orders to release him.

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 of 2015, 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. CLICK HERE to 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: Over 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 judgement 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

FreeZakzaky Protest in Abuja on Friday
01 February 2019 
#FreeZakzaky protest staged by followers of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, after Juma’at prayer at National Mosque, Abuja.

#FreeZakzaky Protest in Abuja on Wednesday
30 January 2019
Daily #FreeZakzaky protest was staged at Asokoro district of Abuja. Hundreds graced the nonstop call for the immediate release of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.

FreeZakzaky Protest in Abuja on Monday
28 January 2019
Daily #FreeZakzaky protest staged at Garki area of Abuja, in fresh call for immediate release of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife.

IHRC welcomes court order allowing Sheikh Zakzaky to receive medical treatment
23 January 2019

IHRC welcomes the order by a judge presiding over the trial of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria that he should be allowed to receive medical treatment from doctors of his own choosing.

Justice Gideon Kurada made the ruling yesterday in the Kaduna High Court dismissing the objections of the Director of Public Prosecutions who falsely stated that Sheikh Ibrahim el-Zakzaky had already been allowed to go abroad.

Sheikh Zakzaky lost sight in one eye and the use of one arm in the December 2015 massacre by the Nigerian military of over 1000 followers of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria. He also suffered a stroke at the turn of 2018. The authorities have consistently prevented him from accessing his own medical treatment and have refused requests for him to fly abroad. Click here to read the Press Release.

Court Grants Sheikh Zakzaky’s Pleas To Seek Medical Care From Experts Of His Choice
22 January 2019

Today the Kaduna state High court has granted the plea by the legal team of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, led by Barrister Femi Falana SAN that both Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife be allowed to seek medical care from experts of their choice within or outside as the state has been incapable of providing them with the care their ailing health condition demands.

The court had earlier in November 2018 denied bail to the Defendants despite their visible ill health. However, at the hearing today, the Counsel for the Defendants Mr Femi Falana SAN, after highlighting the bad health conditions of the Defendants made a fresh application for the court to make an order for them to be flown abroad for medical treatment.

In response, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr Bayero Dari, who led the counsel for the State objected to the application and informed the court that they had earlier flown the Defendants abroad for treatment.

A Little drama ensued when the State Counsel was challenged by Sheikh Zakzaky to furnish the court with facts as to where and when he was flown to for treatment since they were severally shot by the Nigerian Army.

The Sheikh adviced the Counsel to fear Allah and respect himself and to refrain from telling lies to the face of a Court of Law. Mr Dari had wanted to misinform the court that the state was taking good care of the duo and that they were even flown abroad for treatment. Click here to read the full details.

VIDEOS

Many of Sheikh Zakzaky followers were captured alive – ArbaeenTrek 2018 
Published on 20 November 2018

Many of the followers of Sheikh Zakzaky were captured alive and tortured to death during attack on ArbaeenTrek 2018, watch a video clip of Nigerian Army capturing peaceful participants of Abuja ArbaeenTrek 2018.

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 Brothers,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 digest do not necessarily reflect the views of IHRC