In an urgent resolution adopted on Thursday 20 April by 550 votes to 7 with 4 abstentions, the European Parliament urges the Nigerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release and drop all charges against singer Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, who was sentenced to death in 2020 by a Sharia court in Kano State for a song posted on social networks.
This appeal applies to all others who are accused of blasphemy.
The Parliament recalls that blasphemy laws clearly violate international human rights obligations and are in contradiction with the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom and freedom of expression. It therefore urges the Nigerian authorities to uphold human rights throughout the country and to repeal these laws at federal and state level.
The resolution urges Nigeria to immediately renounce the use of the death penalty for blasphemy and to take steps towards the full abolition of the death penalty.
MEPs also call on the EU and its Member States, as major development partners, to raise the issues of individual cases, human rights concerns and blasphemy laws with the Nigerian authorities.
See the resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/6hd (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)