Islamic Human Rights Commission
NIGERIA DIGEST 18 August 2018 (Volume 2 Issue 35)
Introduction
Action Alert
Articles and Resources Digest
Videos Section
Archive Section
INTRODUCTION
Below please find an update on the continuous Free Zakzaky protests in the Nigerian capital Abuja. The sustainability of these protests is unusual given the deceptive and barbaric tactics used by the security services in a bid to stop these nationwide ongoing FreeZakzaky protests in Nigeria.
We request campaigners to keep the pressure on the Commonwealth by writing emails / letters, demanding the immediate release of the Sheikh and all those unjustly imprisoned.
Please forward any responses to any campaign letters/ emails you have sent to us and please keep the pressure up and send (follow up) letters / emails. A model letter is provided below in the Action Alert.
To find out more about the Zaria massacre, read IHRC’s submission to the International Criminal Court HERE
To find out how you can help further, please visit the IHRC FreeZakzaky campaign page HERE
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Free Zakzaky!
ACTION ALERT: Demand Urgent Intervention of the Commonwealth
1. CLICK HERE to send an email to the Commonwealth and demand they intervene in this case, a model letter / email is provided below
2. If you receive a response please forward it to IHRC at info@ihrc.org
Model email / letter
If you are emailing, please use the following in the subject line:
Save the Leader of Islamic Movement
Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC
Commonwealth Secretariat
Marlborough House
Pall Mall
London
SW1Y 5HX
Date:
Dear Baroness Scotland QC,
Re: Sheikh Zakzaky
I write to demand that Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife Muallima Zeenah are immediately released as their life is in danger. Nigerian security forces are known for the brutal violence and we urge your office to take immediate action and save their lives.
According to credible reports the security forces are planning to use some covert ways to assassinate Sheikh Zakzaky. They have planned to use the pretense of bandits, kidnappers or Boko Haram to attack the convoy taking Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife to the court, hospital or to the place of their detention.
Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife were arraigned by the state High Court in Kaduna in the latest of a long line of blows inflicted on the sheikh designed to cripple the Islamic Movement of Nigeria which he leads.
On 02 December 2016 the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that Sheikh Zakzaky and Muallimah Zeenah should be released within 45 days. The court described their detention, which began in December 2015 as illegal and unconstitutional. The deadline for the court order expired on 16 January 2017 but the Nigerian Government has refused to obey the court order. The Nigerian government has kept them detained illegally for over two years now and Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife still remain in the custody of the state, in clear contempt of the court order.
Current trumped up charges against him are part of a wider effort to cover up the gruesome crimes committed by members of the security forces in Zaria in December 2015 that left at least 1000 civilians dead.
The state’s denial of medical treatment to Sheikh Zakzaky has led to a severe deterioration in his medical conditions and the recent attempt to move him forcefully will put his life in danger.
I am extremely concerned as Sheikh Zakzaky suffered a stroke in early January and his condition has been further aggravated due to the continued unlawful detention and denial of access to adequate medical treatment. He was shot by security forces more than two years ago, losing his left eye in the process and is currently at risk of losing the use of his other eye.
It is imperative that you apply pressure on the Nigerian authorities so that they stop killing innocent people and adhere to the High Court judgment of December 2016, and release Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife immediately.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Yours Sincerely,
[Your signature if posting]
[Your name]
Commonwealth Contact Details:
Email: info@commonwealth.int; geneva@commonwealth.int
Postal Address: Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HX, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7747 6500, Fax: +44 (0) 20 7930 0827
ARTICLES AND RESOURCES
Free Zakzaky Peaceful Protest in Abuja on Thursday
16 August 2018
During this week Free Zakzaky campaigners continued their protests in Nigeria and a massive fresh Free Zakzkay protest was staged in Abuja on Thursday the 16th of August 2018.
PRESS RELEASE: KDSG sponsors hate speech campaigns against us with book launch
17 August 2018
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria has accused Kaduna state government of Elrufa’i of sponsoring hate speech campaigns against it, with the public presentation of a Book early in the week at Arewa House, Kaduna, during which Shias were called infidels by the organisers of the event.
This was made known to the Press today in a press statement released by the President of the Media Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim Musa.
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria wishes to express its outright disapproval of the current campaign of calumny against the Shia Islamic faith in general and the Islamic Movement in particular during the book presentation on Sunday 11/08/18 at Arewa House, Kaduna, where Kaduna state Governor was the Chief Host.
“Though the book presented was titled “Fallacy of Shi’ites beliefs,” the scholars were reported by some national dailies to have said that “Shiites, threat to National Security.” We feel this news headline deserves our condemnation. How about if we say: “Sunnis, threat to National Security,” will followers of Sunni Islam in Nigeria not get offended?” according to the Press Statement.
The Islamic Movement said, “We are extremely concerned that this title is similar to some of the scary titles you read about Muslims on the websites of Far Right movements who are busy spreading Islamophobia in the West in particular and …
Continued Detention Of Sheikh Zakzaky, Unjust
17 August 2018 – FreeZak
“We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return!” What a calamity! 980 days have passed since when the tyrannical regime of the federal government is detaining the Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh IbraheemZakzaky, even though a federal High court has ordered for his release almost two years ago. Indeed any well-meaning Nigerian will begin to wonder what the federal government up to when it flagrantly disregard a valid court order to release the Sheikh and instituted some spurious charges against him recently.
Since 12th December, 2015, when the Nigerian Army brutally attacked Sheikh Zakzaky and his followers in Zaria, we have been staging peaceful protests from time to time on the streets, with rallies in mosques, showing our anger on the injustice being meted against us and the continued detention of our Leader, but to date the government is playing the Ostrich, pretending not to notice protestation.
Instead of even acceding to our demand for justice to the victims of the Army massacre in Zaria, we have been witnessing some unfortunate moves being made to sweep under the carpet the atrocities committed against us in Zaria. The most recent is the meeting held in Kaduna on Sunday 12/08/18, where a public presentation of a book authored by Prof. Umar Labdo titled ‘The fallacy of Shi’ites beliefs’ was done. They should know that we are aware of their diabolical ways from their Saudi sponsors to the federal and state governments doing their bidding to stop the rapid understanding of the Islamic Movement they flatly call the Shia.
Free Zakzaky Protest in Abuja on 15th August 2018
15 August 2018
Another fresh Free Zakzkay protest was staged in Abuja on Wednesday the 15th of August 2018.
Falana Writes New Acting DSS Director, Calls For Release Of Sheikh Zakzaky, Others
14 August 2018
The renowned human rights activist and chief Counsel to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana SAN, has written a letter to the new acting DSS director, Mr Mathew Seiyefa calling for the immediate release of Sheikh Zakzaky and hundreds of others being illegally detained by the security outfit.
Below is the text of the letter.
Request for the urgent release of hundreds of persons detained illegally by the State Security Service.
We congratulate you on your appointment as the Acting Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS).
While wishing you a successful tenure we urge you to restore the lost glory of the SSS by restricting the management and staff of the organisation to the prevention and detection of any crime against the internal security of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in accordance with the National Security Agencies Act.
We are however compelled to draw your attention to the fact that our law firm has had a running battle for the last three years with Mr. Musa Daura, the immediate past Director-General of the SSS as a result of the incessant arrest and detention of Nigerian citizens and foreigners without trial. Some of the infringements of the human rights of criminal suspects and other persons perpetrated by Mr. Daura include…
Click here to read the full text of the letter.
VIDEOS SECTION
IHRC calls on Nigerian Government To Allow Zakzaky Treatment
Watch the interview of IHRC Chair Massoud Shadjareh with Press Tv, dated 07 January 2018 about the deteriorating medical condition of Sheikh Zakzaky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUx2SOq2QNY
A Message On Nigeria From IHRC Chair
Please Click on following link to watch and share Chairman of IHRC, Massoud Shadjareh’s video of 20 July on the plight of Sheikh. Please email us on wajahat@ihrc.org if you want a WhatsApp version.
ARCHIVE SECTION
CLICK HERE to read the Amnesty International Report dated 22 April 2016 on military cover up of Zaria massacre and the satellite images of the mass graves
CLICK HERE to read the IHRC Press Release Dated 06 March 2018 “ICC cautioned against blaming victims in Nigeria massacre investigation”
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IHRC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
Islamic Human Rights Commission
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Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Email: info@ihrc.org
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The opinions expressed in this email do not necessarily reflect the views of IHRC
