Amnesty International Demands Immediate Release of Omoyele Sowore
By Usman A Harande
Abuja, Nigeria Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Nigerian human rights activist and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, condemning what it described as his arbitrary detention and continued harassment by the Nigeria Police.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, the international human rights organization urged the Nigerian authorities to drop all “bogus and politically motivated charges” leveled against Sowore, who has faced multiple arrests and prosecutions since 2019.
“Rather than seeking to silence critics through abuse of power, the authorities should listen and engage constructively,” Amnesty International said.
The group noted that Sowore’s arrest and prosecution are emblematic of a broader pattern of repression in Nigeria, where dissenting voices are frequently targeted. “He must be allowed to freely exercise his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” the statement added.
Sowore, the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement and publisher of Sahara Reporters, has repeatedly faced what rights groups describe as politically motivated trials and violations of due process. Amnesty International previously designated him a “Prisoner of Conscience” in November 2019, following his arrest for peaceful activism.
Since then, the activist has reportedly endured a series of human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions, surveillance, and restricted freedoms—all stemming from his outspoken criticism of government policies.
“The case of Sowore demonstrates the extent to which Nigerian authorities are willing to go to silence peaceful dissent,” Amnesty said.
Amnesty International is now urging the Nigerian government to respect its constitutional and international obligations by ensuring Sowore’s immediate release and ending the persecution of voices critical of the state.
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