3rd August, 2019
PRESS RELEASE:
MURIC CALLS FOR SOWORE’S RELEASE
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, was arrested around 1.35 am today Saturday, 3rd August, 2019 by agents of the Department of State Security (DSS). Sowore is also the convener of #Revolutionnow and his arrest may not be unconnected with his recent call for protests for a revolution.
Meanwhile, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of the politician cum activist. This was contained in a press statement issued by the group late Saturday evening.
“We call on the DSS to respect Sowore’s Allah-given fundamental human rights. He must not be subjected to inhuman treatment. We remind the DSS that right to the dignity of the human person is entrenched in Section 34 (b) & (c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended (2011) which says,
‘Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly…(b) no person shall be held in slavery or servitude and (c) no person shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.
“The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Article 4, Clause 1 & 2 also says, ‘Human beings are inviolable. Every human being shall be entitled to respect for his life and the integrity of his person.’ Sowore must therefore be allowed access to his family members and physician. He must also be treated with civility.
“Although we do not subscribe to the call for any revolution because we do not see the need for it in view of the commitment of the present administration to good governance, we deem it fit to call for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained activist. In the alternative, he must be arraigned before a competent court at the shortest time possible.
“Finally, we remind the DSS of the provisions of Article 7(b) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights which stipulates the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court or tribunal. Nigeria is a signatory to this charter and the DSS cannot pretend to be unaware of it.”
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
