Positive developments in the case of Mubarak Bala

Today, we learned that a court in Nigeria has granted Mubarak Bala’s legal team access to see him. It now falls on the Police Commissioner to follow the necessary process in compliance with the order.

Leo Igwe, Chairman of Humanist Association of Nigeria and Founder of AfAW (Advocacy for Alleged Witches), a project funded by Humanists International, said:

Leo Igwe, Chairman of Humanist Association of Nigeria

“The recent court decision to allow Mubarak Bala to meet his lawyer almost two months after his arrest is a welcome development. We hope that the police abide by the court’s order and respect Bala’s constitutional right to legal representation.”

Mubarak Bala has been held in detention since his arrest on 28 April, following a complaint filed with the Kano State police regarding posts he is alleged to have made on social media. Over the course of his detention to date, he has not been formally arraigned nor had access to his lawyers in violation of his rights to liberty, fair trial, freedom of thought and expression, and freedom of movement.

Humanists International fears that Mr Bala is being targeted solely for having exercised his rights to freedom of belief and freedom of expression, which are protected under the Nigerian Constitution, and under international and regional instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory. 

We continue to call for his immediate and unconditional release.

More updates as soon as they are available.

#FreeMubarakBala #ProtectHumanistsAtRisk