The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has called
on Nigerian authorities to overturn the death sentence handed down to Yahaya
Sharif-Aminu, a 22-year-old musician based in Kano state.
Sharif-Aminu was sentenced to death by hanging in August
2020 by a sharia court in Kano, over an allegedly blasphemous song he shared on
WhatsApp.
The sharia court found Sharif-Aminu guilty of blasphemy
against Prophet Muhammad by praising a local imam from the Tijaniya Muslim
brotherhood in the song.
However, in a statement in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday,
the UNHRC said due process was not followed in the trial, and called for a
reversal of the court’s decision to sentence the musician to death.
“We are deeply
concerned over the serious lack of due process in Sharif-Aminu’s case so far,
especially reports that he has been held incommunicado, and that he did not have
access to a lawyer during his initial trial, a trial that was not open to the
public,” the human rights body said.
“Artistic expression of opinion and beliefs, through songs
or other media, including those seen to offend religious sensibilities, is protected
in accordance with international law. The criminalisation of these expressions
is unlawful. Music is not a crime.”
The rights council also expressed “grave concern” about the
musician’s safety, and called on the Nigerian government to “take effective
measures to protect Sharif-Aminu, in detention as well as after his release”.
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