Concerns that police/ state harassment of Islamic Movement continues

There are a number of reports that attendees of the annual Ashura procession in Abuja today have been arrested.  This includes arrests of people wearing black who may have not been attended but profiled as such.

International pressure applied since yesterday raising concerns about the prospect of renewed police/ state violence appears to have prevented a repeat of last year’s attacks on the march.  However the arrests are still an unwelcome and disturbing development.

IHRC Chair Massoud Shadjareh said:

“While it is good to see that the use of violence by police and security services against attendees was absent this year, reports suggest that harassment by other means is still seen as an option.

“Nigeria needs to urgently come to terms with its political, religious and cultural plurality and allow expression of difference and dissent.”

For further information please contact +447958532196 or email media@ihrc.org. Image from today’s procession in Abuja.[ENDS]