In a scathing rebuke, Amnesty International has condemned the Nigerian authorities’ decision to impose stringent bail conditions on 10 protesters facing treason charges.
The Federal High Court in Abuja set bail at N10 million (£18,000) each, with the added requirement of producing property-owning sureties who must deposit documents with the court.
Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, denounced the move as a “wanton weaponisation” of bail conditions to justify arbitrary detentions and restrict the right to peaceful assembly.
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Sanusi said:
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“These protesters should never have been detained in the first place.
“The Nigerian authorities must uphold their international human rights obligations and end this heavy-handed clampdown on human rights defenders, journalists, whistleblowers, and activists.”
Notably, the ten protesters, who were arrested for participating in the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstrations against corruption and poverty, are among many others arbitrarily detained across Nigeria.
Amnesty International called for their immediate release and an end to the crackdown on peaceful dissent.
