By Our Correspondent
Following the detention of some #EndBadGovernance protesters, a
Human Rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has written to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, over the ordeal of the protesters who are facing treasonable charges levelled against them by the Federal Government.
The lawyer insisted that criminalizing hunger protesters who demanded for good governance in August is an offence to the law.
He said the right to peaceful assembly and protest was the bedrock of any democratic society, enshrined in the 1999 Constitution and safeguarded by international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a party.
The letter received by the AGF read, “To criminalise citizens for exercising their legitimate right to dissent through peaceful protest not only constitutes a breach of these legal protections but also tarnishes Nigeria’s standing on the global stage,”
According to him, the government’s approach was counterproductive and inimical to the ideals of democracy and free expression.
He urged Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, to protect citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly and expression.
“It is incumbent upon us to prevent the normalization of criminalizing lawful dissent, which undermines the democratic fabric of our society.
“I have faith in your unwavering dedication to justice and the rule of law, and I am confident that your intervention will help realign the government’s approach towards a more just and democratic course.
“Therefore, I earnestly appeal to you to ensure that all charges against the arrested protesters are immediately rescinded and that they are released without further delay. We must uphold the rule of law and refrain from punitive actions against those who merely seek to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights.”
It is gathered that some of the #EndBadGovernance protesters were remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre after being charged with treason.