On Continuing detention and risk of the death penalty for individuals in Nigeria charged with blasphemy, notably the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

B100104/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on Continuing detention and risk of the death penalty for individuals in Nigeria charged with blasphemy, notably the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

(2025/2548(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to Rules 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas Nigerian singer Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was sentenced to death in 2020 by a Sharia court in Kano state over a song judged blasphemous; whereas Sharif-Aminu is in critical condition in prison as his health has deteriorated and he is in dire need of medical care, food and clothing; whereas Sharif Aminu’s case is currently on appeal at the Supreme Court of Nigeria;

B.whereas the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of expression, thought, and conscience, but the country’s criminal law categorizes insults to religion as an offense and Islamic law provides for the death penalty for blasphemy;

C.whereas the death penalty remains a legal sanction in Nigeria imposed by both High courts and Shari’a courts.

1.Calls on the Nigerian authorities to promptly and unconditionally release Yahaya Sharif-Aminu and withdraw the appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision overturning his conviction;

2.Calls on Nigerian authorities, pending Sharif-Aminuʼs release, to ensure his appropriate treatment in custody and allow regular access to his family and lawyer;

3. Urges the government of Nigeria to repeal penal laws imposing punishments for blasphemy, including the death penalty, as they are inconsistent with Nigeria´s constitution and international human rights standards, which safeguard the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and expression, as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria is a party;

4. Condemns violent mobs harassing and killing people accused of blasphemy and calls on Nigerian authorities to ensure prompt investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of such crimes;

5.Calls on the government of Nigeria to declare an immediate moratorium on all executions nationwide and, pending the abolition of the death penalty, to commute all death sentences into life sentences;

6.Calls on the European Commission and Member States to raise Yahaya Sharif Aminu’s case and human rights concerns with the Nigerian authorities and Kano and Kaduna State authorities and ensure diplomatic observation of legal proceedings when his trial commences at the Supreme Court;

7.Calls on the European Commission and the EEAS to support intercultural and interfaith dialogue in Nigeria and provide legal assistance in human rights cases through development cooperation and political dialogue;

8.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Nigerian authorities and international institutions;