Amnesty International (AI) has condemned the sentencing of two TikTok users over alleged defamation of the Governor of Kano State, northwest Nigeria, Abdullahi Ganduje.

The TikTok users, Mubarak Muhammad, alias Unique Pikin, and Nazifi Muhammad, were remanded in October for allegedly defaming the character of the governor in one of their skits.

In his ruling on the matter, the presiding magistrate, Aminu Gambari, ordered that the skit makers be flogged with 20 lashes of the cane each.

He also ordered them to pay a fine of 10,000 naira, and to clean the court premises for 30 days.

As part of the punishment, they were also ordered to publicly apologise to Ganduje on social media.

However, AI condemned the decision to remand the two in prison for a week without trial, describing it as a brazen violation of their right to a fair trial.

‘The decision to remand them in prison for a week without trial is a brazen violation of their fair trial rights. Satirising those in authority is not a crime. Nigerian authorities must immediately quash this appalling sentence’, the rights organisation said in a statement.

‘Authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Mubarak Muhammad and Nazifi Muhammad as they are sentenced solely for peacefully exercising their human rights.

‘Nigerian authorities must respect, protect, promote, and fulfil the right of everyone to freedom of expression. The outrageous court order to flog and fine them is heavy-handed and clearly aimed at gagging young Nigerians and restricting their access to social media.

‘These outrageous sentences are just the latest to be meted out by Nigeria’s cruel justice system and expose the authorities’ complete disregard for freedom of expression. Nigerian authorities must quash these cruel sentences and immediately and unconditionally release Mubarak Muhammad and Nazifi Muhammad’.

Photo Source: Peoples Gazette