Nigeria: Drop all charges against Imoleayo

Imoleayo stands and smiles at camera outside some buildings

“I’m not a criminal. I only protested for the betterment of my fatherland”

In October 2020, Imoleayo was among scores of young people who took to the streets in Nigeria to protest against violence, extortion and killings by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

As a professional computer programmer, Imoleayo used his skills to promote the protests on Twitter and Facebook, using the viral hashtag #EndSARS.

Two weeks later, in the middle of the night, 20 armed men raided his home. They smashed his bedroom window and pointed a gun at him. After seizing his mobile phones and computer, they then locked his wife, elderly mother and seven-month-old son in a room and cut off the power supply to the streetlights around his house.

They took Imoleayo to state security service headquarters where they held him in an underground cell for 41 days without access to a lawyer or his family. While there, he was cuffed, blindfolded and chained to a steel cabinet. He was also forced to sleep on the floor and security officers interrogated him a total of five times.

Imoleayo suffered pneumonia and was eventually released on bail in December 2020. Now, he’s facing trumped-up charges of ‘conspiracy with others to disturb public peace’ and ‘disturbing public peace’.

Take action now and demand that all charges against Imoleayo are dropped immediately.

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I am writing to you regarding the release of Loujain al-Hathloul. Despite her release from prison after almost three years, Loujain is far from free. She continues to face probation, which means she faces the risk of re-imprisonment and a travel ban of five years. In addition, she continues to be denied access to justice and accountability for her allegations of being tortured and harassed in prison.  Loujain recently appealed her sentence, but the verdict was upheld. As part of her appeal, Loujain demanded that the regular Criminal Court investigate her claims of being subjected to acts of torture and harrassment during her detention. The Criminal Court confirmed the Public Prosecutor's decision that no torture had taken place, and effectively placing the burden of proof on Loujain, who then took the case to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal in turn confirmed the primary verdict of the Criminal Court that no torture had taken place.

I urge you to help ensure that Loujain al-Hathloul’s conviction and sentence are quashed as she was detained and tried solely for peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression. I also urge you to help ensure Loujain al-Hathloul’s freedom of movement and travel by lifting the ban imposed on her for the coming five years, as well as removing the travel ban on her parents. Furthermore, I call on you to help ensure an impartial, effective investigation into the reports of Loujain al-Hathloul being tortured, harassed and ill-treated in prison, prosecuting those suspected of responsibility in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty and providing Loujain al-Hathloul with a remedy.

Loujain al-Hathloul peacefully campaigned for an end to the male guardianship system in Saudi Arabia and fought for women's right to drive. For this, she was convicted of trumped-up charges, including “spying with foreign parties” and “conspiring against the kingdom.” I urge your government to help ensure Loujain al-Hathloul’s safety and protection from threats, harassment and any kind of punitive measures, to enable her to safely continue her human rights work without intimidation or fear of prosecution.

Yours sincerely,

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