The European Parliament has handed a decision calling on Nigerian authorities to right away launch Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a musician sentenced to demise for blasphemy in Kano State.
EU additionally calls for that the federal government repeal blasphemy legal guidelines that contradict the nation’s constitutional and worldwide human rights obligations.
The decision, handed beneath RC-B10-0101/2025, was introduced by Mr Sharif-Aminu’s lawyer, Kola Alapinni, on Twitter.
Mr Alapinni, a global human rights lawyer, described the result as “mission completed,” noting that the decision sailed by way of parliament with overwhelming help and nearly no dissenting voices.
Abolition of blasphemy
The European Parliament’s decision highlights concern over the violation of human rights in blasphemy instances in Nigeria, referencing worldwide conventions and the Nigerian structure, which ensures freedom of faith and expression.
The decision requires the speedy and unconditional launch of Mr Sharif-Aminu and others dealing with blasphemy costs.
It additionally calls for pressing enhancements in his detention situations, together with entry to meals, clothes, and medical therapy.
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The decision stresses the necessity for a good and expedited Supreme Courtroom attraction course of.
It urges Nigerian authorities to impose a “nationwide moratorium” on executions and “work in the direction of totally abolishing the demise penalty.”
It additionally urges the “Nigerian authorities to fight the impunity surrounding blasphemy accusations by penalising the purveyors of false allegations and bringing perpetrators of mob violence to justice.”
The European Parliament additionally counseled Nigeria for the latest acquittal of Rhoda Jatau and the discharge of Mubarak Bala, who had been beforehand detained on blasphemy costs.
Background of the case
Mr Sharif-Aminu, a 22-year-old singer, was sentenced to demise by hanging in August 2020 by an Higher Sharia Courtroom in Kano State for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad in a track.
However on attraction instituted by the convict, the Kano State Excessive Courtroom in January 2021 quashed his conviction and sentence as a result of his trial on the Sharia courtroom was characterised by procedural irregularities. On that foundation, the courtroom ordered his retrial.
Equally, in August 2022, the Courtroom of Attraction in Kano upheld the choice of the Kano State Excessive Courtroom by quashing Mr Sharif-Aminu’s conviction and ordering his retrial.
The case is at the moment pending earlier than Nigeria’s Supreme Courtroom, with Sharif-Aminu nonetheless in detention beneath reportedly deteriorating well being situations.
Implications
The decision additionally highlighted that Nigeria stays one in all seven international locations the place blasphemy will be punishable by demise.
“Whereas everybody has the best to freedom of expression, faith and perception. Blasphemy legal guidelines are in clear breach of worldwide human rights obligations, particularly the Worldwide Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and are opposite to the Nigerian Structure, which ensures freedom of faith and expression,” it famous.
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Human rights organisations have lengthy decried using such legal guidelines to focus on people, significantly non secular minorities, and to incite violence.
The European Parliament has instructed its President to ahead “this decision” to the European Fee, European Council, European Exterior Motion Service, and the Nigerian parliament.
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