The European Parliament has once more demanded the discharge of a younger Sufi Nigerian musician imprisoned for blasphemy, with advocates calling its second decision on the case a “rare” transfer. Lawmakers urged Nigeria to free him instantly and repeal the blasphemy legal guidelines underpinning his detention.
The musician, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, is dealing with the demise penalty for allegedly circulating music lyrics deemed blasphemous underneath Kano state’s blasphemy legal guidelines. Members of the European Parliament requested for his “immediate and unconditional release” in a second urgency decision handed by an amazing majority, stories the authorized advocacy group ADF Worldwide.
The lawmakers’ first decision within the case occurred in April 2023, urging Nigerian officers to withdraw the fees. They’ve handed one other measure to make sure that “no individuals, whether in Nigeria or elsewhere, should be potentially subjected to the death penalty for allegations of blasphemy.”
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Additionally they cited the musician’s upcoming Supreme Courtroom problem, which goals to abolish Sharia-based statutes that may result in capital punishment for purportedly offensive spiritual expression. Blasphemy legal guidelines “systematically endanger religious minorities, violate fundamental freedoms and fuel sectarian violence,” they stated.
“We applaud the European Parliament’s condemnation of the egregious blasphemy laws that plague religious minorities in Nigeria, as tragically exemplified by what has happened to Yahaya Sharif-Aminu,” Sean Nelson, legal counsel for ADF International, said in a statement.
“This case has unprecedented potential to eliminate Northern Nigeria’s oppressive blasphemy laws, and we will continue to seek justice for Yahaya and others who are unjustly persecuted for their faith expression. No person should be sentenced to death for peaceful religious expression, and we are thankful to Members of the European Parliament who are speaking out on Yahaya’s behalf.”
Sufism, a mystical type of Islam that emphasizes the inward seek for God and shuns materialism, is a minority religion in Nigeria. Nonetheless, folks from the Sufi religion are sometimes persecuted in Muslim-majority nations and areas.
ADF Worldwide stated this case may overturn the oppressive blasphemy legal guidelines in northern Nigeria.
“It is plainly unjust that this young man languishes in prison merely for song lyrics,” stated Kola Alapinni, worldwide human rights lawyer and lawyer for Sharif-Aminu.
The U.Okay. Parliament has designated Sharif-Aminu as a prisoner of conscience for the month. The decision referred to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which beforehand criticized the musician’s continued imprisonment for 5 years.
A member of the European Parliament, Miriam Lexmann, famous, “Nigeria has still not released him, even after multiple high-level international condemnations.”
Yahaya was convicted with no lawyer and sentenced to demise on Aug. 10, 2020, by the Hausawa Filin Hockey upper-Sharia courtroom. He was initially sentenced to demise, then granted an enchantment that overturned the conviction. Nonetheless, he was despatched again for a retrial underneath the identical statute, which might nonetheless impose capital punishment.
Members of the European Parliament expressed satisfaction at a separate verdict in December 2024, when a Christian mom of 5 was absolutely acquitted of blasphemy after a chronic authorized ordeal. She had been charged for allegedly sharing a message that condemned a deadly mob assault on Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, a Nigerian college pupil.
“Well bless their hearts.”
