{"id":29283,"date":"2020-09-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-27T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/csw-yeo.1wp.site\/press\/international-condemnation-of-recent-blasphemy-charges-4824\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T18:59:34","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T17:59:34","slug":"international-condemnation-of-recent-blasphemy-charges-4824","status":"publish","type":"press","link":"https:\/\/www.csw.org.uk\/es\/press\/international-condemnation-of-recent-blasphemy-charges-4824\/","title":{"rendered":"International condemnation of recent blasphemy charges"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A group of 10 UN human rights experts has called<\/a> on the Nigerian government to overturn the death sentence for blasphemy handed to Yahaya Sharif-Aminu by a Shari\u2019a court in the Hausawa Filin Hockey area of Kano City in Kano state.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Sharif-Aminu, 22, was sentenced to death<\/a> by hanging on 10 August by the presiding judge, Aliyu Muhammad Kani, after being found guilty of committing blasphemy in a song he shared on WhatsApp in March, which his accusers claimed elevated Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass, a renowned scholar from the Tijjaniyya Sufi order, above the Prophet Mohammed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the statement, dated 28 September, the experts state: \u201cArtistic expression of opinion and beliefs, through songs or other media \u2013 including those seen to offend religious sensibilities \u2013 is protected in accordance with international law. The criminalization of these expressions is unlawful,\u201d urging Nigeria to \u201ctake effective measures to protect Mr. Sharif-Aminu, in detention as well as after his release.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this month, Commissioner Frederick A. Davie of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) adopted<\/a> imprisoned Mr Sharif-Aminu along with detained humanist Mubarak Bala as part of the Commission\u2019s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other news, the director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Poland, Dr Piotr Cywinski, has written<\/a> to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari calling on him to personally pardon 13-year-old Umar Farouk, who was sentenced to ten years in prison with menial labour for blasphemy on the same day as Mr Sharif-Aminu received his sentence. Mr Farouk was found guilty of using foul language against God during an argument with a friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his letter to President Buhari, dated 25 September, Dr Cywinski offers to take the place of the child along with 119 volunteers who would each serve a month in prison. Dr Cywinski states: \u201cI cannot remain indifferent to this disgraceful sentence for humanity\u2026 Regardless of what he said, [Mr Farouk] cannot be treated as fully aware and responsible, given his age. He should not be subjected to the loss of the entirety of his youth, be deprived of opportunities, and stigmatized physically, emotionally, and educationally for the rest of his life.\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Nigeria\u2019s constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion or belief, blasphemy is prohibited under Section 204 of the country\u2019s Criminal Code. In addition, 12 of Nigeria\u2019s 36 states have enacted the Shari\u2019a penal code since 1999, transforming Islam into a state religion in defiance of the federal constitution, and empowering Shari\u2019a courts to hand out such sentences as amputation for theft and execution for crimes such as blasphemy and adultery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CSW\u2019s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: \u201cCSW welcomes and echoes continued calls for the release of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu and Umar Farouk, neither of whom should be imprisoned. Nigeria\u2019s blasphemy law is entirely incompatible with the country\u2019s national and international obligations. It is also a driver of religious extremism, an issue which the country must address as a matter of urgency.\u201d<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note to editors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Signatories to the UN statement are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n