A University of Uyo legislation professor, Idorenyin Eyo, and Hope Behind Bars Africa (HBBA) have known as for a complete overview of Nigeria’s blasphemy and different religious-related felony legal guidelines to guard freedom of faith or perception and stop religiously motivated violence, discrimination and arbitrary prosecution.
They made the decision at a South-South Freedom of Religion or Belief and Justice Convening organised by HBBA in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, with the theme, “Protecting Freedom of Religion or Belief in Nigeria: From Dialogue to Action.”
Eyo, an Associate Professor of Law, made the decision whereas delivering a presentation titled, “Beyond Tolerance: Strengthening Freedom of Religion or Belief Through Rights-Based Criminal Justice and Equal Citizenship in Nigeria.”
She argued that non secular tolerance alone was inadequate to ensure peaceable coexistence, insisting that freedom of faith or perception have to be recognised as an enforceable elementary proper moderately than a privilege decided by non secular majorities or political authorities.
According to her, constitutional ensures have to be backed by efficient laws, neutral legislation enforcement and accountable establishments able to defending residents no matter their non secular affiliations or beliefs.
Citing Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which ensures freedom of thought, conscience and faith, Eyo additionally referenced Sections 10, 39 and 42, which tackle the adoption of a state faith, freedom of expression and safety towards specified types of discrimination.
She famous that worldwide and African human rights devices, together with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, present essential frameworks for safeguarding non secular liberty and equal citizenship.
The legislation professor cited the killing of Deborah Samuel, a Christian pupil lynched in Sokoto State in May 2022 following an allegation of blasphemy, for instance of the implications of religiously motivated violence.
She additionally referenced the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a Muslim musician sentenced to demise by a Kano State Sharia court docket in 2020 over a blasphemy allegation linked to a music circulated on social media.
According to Eyo, the instances elevate vital questions on non secular liberty, freedom of expression, due course of and the administration of felony justice in a religiously various society.
She urged lawmakers to overview blasphemy, religious-insult and associated offences to make sure they adjust to constitutional requirements of readability, necessity and proportionality. She additionally advocated the modification or repeal of provisions that impermissibly criminalise peaceable expression or non secular dissent.
Eyo known as for stronger judicial independence, improved entry to authorized assist and appellate justice, in addition to specialised police coaching on non secular freedom, non-discrimination, lawful arrest, proof gathering and crowd administration.
She confused that allegations of non secular offences ought to by no means be handled as proof of guilt, urging legislation enforcement companies to research religiously motivated assaults promptly and impartially.
She additional advocated satisfactory safety, medical and psychosocial help, authorized help and acceptable cures for victims of non secular violence.
In his remarks, the Programme Manager of HBBA, Hassan Nurudeen, stated the organisation’s work in human dignity, entry to justice and felony justice reform had demonstrated the necessity to prolong human rights safety to spiritual expression, dissenting beliefs, conventional practices and minority identities.
Representing the organisation’s Executive Director, Nurudeen stated a big hole remained between constitutional ensures of non secular freedom and the experiences of residents throughout the nation.
He recognized blasphemy allegations, mob violence, accusations of witchcraft, extrajudicial enforcement and election-season disinformation as challenges testing the capability of authorized and legislation enforcement establishments to guard elementary rights.
Nurudeen warned towards framing freedom of faith or perception as solely a North-versus-South challenge, noting that the South-South area additionally confronted challenges involving minority beliefs, non-believers, dangerous conventional accusations and on-line non secular speech and polarisation forward of the 2027 basic elections.
He maintained that the courts, police and authorized practitioners should function neutral guardians of equal citizenship, irrespective of non secular id or perception.
According to him, the convening was designed to maneuver past dialogue in the direction of sensible measures to strengthen due course of and enhance entry to authorized help for folks whose rights had been violated.
He recognized HBBA’s SLAPPs Monitor and FoRB Lawyers Network as mechanisms for supporting authorized intervention and helping affected people.
Nurudeen stated the assembly was anticipated to supply concrete suggestions for reform and strengthen collaboration amongst authorities establishments, the judiciary, legislation enforcement companies, non secular organisations and civil society.
Both audio system known as for a justice system that ensures equal safety for non secular minorities, converts, dissenters and non-believers, stressing that constitutional provisions would stay insufficient if residents continued to face violence, discrimination, arbitrary prosecution or impunity due to their beliefs.
They urged non secular leaders, conventional rulers, political officeholders, civil society organisations and academic establishments to advertise constitutional citizenship, peaceable disagreement, accountability and respect for human dignity.
They maintained that peaceable coexistence may solely be sustained when freedom of conscience was protected by way of neutral justice and respect for the rights of all residents.
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