Human rights organisation Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to drop the "bogus charges and sham trial" of journalist Farida Isiak, who was arraigned before Sharia Court Division 1, Kawo, Kaduna.
According to Amnesty, in a rushed trial, Isiak was sentenced to 4 years in prison with an option of N1.7 million fine.
Farida Isiak, a reporter with Nagarta Radio in Kaduna, was arrested and detained around 10:00 p.m. on Monday, 20 October, by officers under the command of the Divisional Police Officer of Mararaban Jos, Usman Adamu.
"The situation began as a minor civil disagreement between her mother and a neighbour over a 100 naira change dispute during a charcoal sale. Police officers initially arrested her mother and later detained her father when he went to secure her release, using their detention as leverage to force Farida to come to the police station.
"When Farida arrived at the station, police officers accused her of defaming them because of a Facebook post she wrote criticising the unlawful treatment of her parents. Even though she complied with police demands to delete the post and apologise in hopes of securing her parents' release, officers kept her in custody and rushed her to a Sharia Court in Kawo. The presiding judge sentenced her to four years in prison or a fine of 1.75 million naira on charges of defamation, completely ignoring the initial police violations and the abusive actions that led to the incident.
"Farida was released yesterday evening on bail, with the trial set to commence again on 3 November.
"Clearly, police are weaponising the judicial system to punish Farida Isiak, instead of following due process of law," Amnesty said.
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