Amnesty International has strongly condemned the planned mass trial of hundreds of protesters arrested during the nationwide hunger and hardship demonstrations held from August 1 to 10, 2024. In a statement released on Monday by Isa Sanusi, the Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, the organization labeled the trials as a blatant attempt to punish dissent and suppress critical voices.
“Amnesty International condemns the sham trial of the protesters even before it begins, and calls for an end to these endless bizarre attempts to deprive people of their right to peaceful protest. The unfair trial is merely a disguised exercise solely aimed at punishing dissenters,” Sanusi stated.
The charges against the protesters include treason—a crime that carries the death penalty—and allegations of planning to destabilize Nigeria. Sanusi criticized the Nigerian authorities for manipulating the criminal justice system to silence dissent, describing the charges as “absurd and baseless.”
“The Nigerian government has been wrongfully prioritizing the punishment of protesters, while failing to address the urgent need to impartially investigate the killing of dozens of protesters in Kano, Katsina, Suleja/Tafa, Jigawa, and Maiduguri,” he added. “These attempts by President Bola Tinubu’s government to charge those who protested against widespread poverty and corruption with treason are beyond absurd and baseless.”
Amnesty International expressed deep concern that the protesters, who participated in the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstrations, are being subjected to what Sanusi described as “another round of the government’s unrelenting efforts to punish and demonize protests.” The organization demanded the immediate withdrawal of the “blatantly trumped-up charges” and called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained during the protests.
Sanusi also highlighted ongoing human rights violations faced by the detained protesters, including denial of access to family, legal assistance, and necessary medical care. He urged the Nigerian government to uphold the rule of law and focus on addressing the country’s pressing issues, such as insecurity, corruption, and widespread poverty.
“We urge the Nigerian authorities to end this mockery of the rule of law. The government should listen to critics and address rampant insecurity, corruption, and mismanagement. Instead of punishing protesters, the government should prioritize rescuing millions of Nigerians from the brink of starvation,” Sanusi emphasized.
