DEATH SENTENCE ON SINGER: Falana drags Kano govt, FG to African Commission

Human Rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria,m (SAN), Femi Falana, has dragged the Kano State government and the Federal Government of Nigeria before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Banjul, Gambia, over the death sentence imposed on Kano singer Sharif Yahya Sharif.

Falana in a petition dated September 8, 2020, which was made available to newmen on Sunday prayed that the Commission exercise its mandates and authority under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and pursuant to the commission’s order 100(1) of the commission’s Rules of Procedure, 2020.

The petition also argued that Nigerian authorities continue to violate fair trial and other rights of the petitioner despite their obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international treaties to which Nigeria is a state party.

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The petition by Falana reads thus in part; “Our communication details multiple violations of his right to life and fair trial rights guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and resolutions on moratorium on executions adopted by both the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly.

“Despite their obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international treaties to which Nigeria is a state party, the Nigerian authorities continue to violate the fair trial and other rights of the petitioner. The request for a certified true copy of the judgment of the Court was also not granted on time.

“An appeal at the Kano State High Court against the conviction and death sentence imposed on the petitioner has been filed, but we submit that the petitioner will not enjoy a fair hearing, as he continues to face imminent execution by hanging,” Falana stated.

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