Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has welcomed
decision by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja
ordering the immediate release of the convener of #RevolutionNow
protest, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, from the custody of the Department of State
Service as “a victory for the rule of law, human rights and judicial
independence.”
In a statement, SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare said: “It’s a
huge relief that Sowore will be freed and can finally return to his
family and journalism work. He should never have been detained in the
first place. The Nigerian authorities should now withdraw all the
charges against him and allow freedom of expression and media freedom to
flourish. It’s good for everyone.”
SERAP said: “The Nigerian authorities now have to fully comply with this
ruling by immediately releasing Sowore. The decision is a timely
reminder of Nigeria’s constitutional and international obligations to
protect journalists, activists and Nigerians in general, and to put a
stop to its current practice of restricting the civic space.”
The statement read in part: “We hope this decision will make the
Nigerian authorities and state governors stop and reflect on their
ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression and media freedom including
online, and also help to put an end to other human rights violations of
journalists and citizens in general. Other journalists like Agba Jalingo
and Ekanem Ekpo currently being detained, must be immediately and
unconditionally released.”
“If a court found it possible to release Sowore, we are sure that all
the circumstances were studied, and an objective decision was made.”
It would be recalled that SERAP had on Saturday has sent an open letter
to Mr Abukabar Malami, SAN, Attorney General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, urging him to use his position “to without delay
enter a nolle prosequi and discontinue the prosecution of the Convener
of ‘RevolutionNow’ protest and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Mr Omoyele
Sowore, and Olawale Bakare, also known as Mandate for apparently
politically motivated charges of treason, fraud and ‘insulting President
Muhammadu Buhari’.”
SERAP said: “We urge you to use your role as a trustee of the public
interest under section 174 of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as
amended) to end several of similar trumped-up cases going on in several
states.”
SERAP’s letter read in part: “Sowore’s case and several similar cases
instigated/brought by state governors make a hideous mockery of
Nigeria’s criminal justice systems, rule of law, freedom of expression
and media freedom. These cases are persecution and not prosecution. As
guardian of the public interest, you have a role to end this travesty
now, and to maintain the sanctity and integrity of Nigeria’s justice
system.”