Amnesty International To FG: Release Over 1,000 Hunger Protesters In Detention
Amnesty International (AI), has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of over 1000 #EndBadGovernance protesters that are presently in various prison custody across the country following their participation in the August 1, to 10, 2024 hunger protests.
The international human rights organization in a post on its X handle on Friday, pointedly accused the Nigerian authorities of escalating a crackdown on peaceful protesters by arraigning over 100 protesters in court.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, had on August 6, 2024, said that the police had arrested some of the sponsors of the demonstrators who hoisted foreign flags and called for a change of government in states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, among others.
Amnesty International restated its demand for an immediate and unconditional release of all the protesters arrested for exercising their right to peaceful assembly
In the words of AI; “The Nigerian authorities are escalating crackdown on peaceful protesters against hunger and corruption. Over 1,000 people have been remanded nationwide. Today 441 people were arraigned in Kano, in what is set out to be an unfair trial based on trumped-up charges.
“Amnesty International again calls for an immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested for exercising their right to peaceful assembly.
“Nigeria’s government is obligated to uphold the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” it stressed.
