The trial of #EndBadGovernance protesters is set to begin today in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, and Borno, amidst concerns about the government’s handling of the protests and the rights of the accused.
“We condemn the sham trials even before they began and call for an end to these endless bizarre attempts to deprive people of the right to peaceful protest,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria. “The Nigerian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all those arrested for exercising their right to peaceful assembly, instead of resorting to putting them through trumped-up charges just to justify unlawfully detaining them.”
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Intelligence, Dasuki Galadanchi, has disclosed that 126 suspects will be charged to court today for allegedly waving the Russian flag and demanding regime change during the protests, which turned violent and resulted in deaths and property damage.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana will lead the defense team, while Amnesty International Nigeria has described the planned mass trial as a “mockery of justice and rule of law” and called for the unconditional release of the detained protesters.
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“The Nigerian government has been wrongfully placing priority on punishing detained protesters, without saying even a word on the urgent need to investigate the killing of dozens of protesters across Kano, Katsina, Suleja/Tafa, Jigawa and Maiduguri,” Sanusi added.
The protesters have challenged the court order permitting their detention for 60 days, arguing that their right to life, dignity, health, and freedom of movement has been threatened and violated.
“Protest is a right and in fact the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu had led protests in the past without being harassed, detained or remanded,” said Paul Ochayi, affidavit deposed to by one of the protesters.
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