Amnesty International Reacts Over Treason, Cyber Crime Charges On Sowore

Amnesty International has reached out to the Nigeria Police Force over the charges of treason and cyber crime slammed on presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore .

It has urged the federal government to also drop cybercrime charges against the activist as it did the treason charge against him.

Amnesty International said this amidst applauding the Nigerian authorities for withdrawing the treason charges in the first place.

Its Nigerian Director, Isa Sanusi, who made this call in a statement in Abuja on today, said the cybercrime and unlawful assembly charges were unfounded and should be withdrawn.

 Stating that the charges should not have been made in the first place, Sanusi added:

“Amnesty International today (Thursday) welcomes the withdrawal by the Nigerian authorities of bogus treason charges against activist Omoyele Sowore and urges the authorities to immediately drop all other fabricated charges against him.

“Omoyele Sowore should never have been charged in the first place. Nigerian authorities must immediately drop the unfounded cybercrime and unlawful assembly charges against him filed by the police.

“Authorities must allow Sowore and other activists and journalists to freely carry out their activities without any harassment, intimidation and fear of reprisals.

“The unfair prosecution of Sowore is part of restriction of civic space and escalating crackdown on human rights in Nigeria.

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“The Nigerian authorities must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human rights of everyone in the country including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and media freedom.”

The Eagle reports Amnesty International as expressing concern last October of what it called arbitrary detention of persons connected with the EndSARS protests of 2020.

 IT said: “Three years after the violent suppression of nationwide #EndSARS protest against police brutality, a total of fifteen protesters arrested in 2020 are still being arbitrarily detained – the majority of them without trial – in Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre and Ikoyi Medium Security Correctional Centre in Lagos.

“The Nigerian authorities have filed trumped-up charges including theft, arson, possession of unlawful firearms, and murder against many of the protesters. Some of those detained alleged that they have been subjected to torture.

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“Our investigation shows the Nigerian authorities’ utter disdain for human rights. Three years in detention without trial is a travesty of justice. This shows the authorities’ contempt for due process of law. The protesters must be immediately and unconditionally released,” said Isa Sanusi, Director Amnesty International Nigeria.