(AhlulBayt News Agency) - The human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has condemned the continuous attacks on members of the Islamic Movement, who were protesting the continued detention of Sheikh Zakzaky.
Falana was the detainees’ lawyer who on December 2, 2016, obtained the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, ordering the release of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife from the custody of the State Security Service.
The Federal Government has yet to comply with the judgment.
Falana declared on Monday that "The violent attack unleashed on the Islamic Movement members this afternoon, Monday April 16, by a combined team of armed soldiers, police and state security service personnel is totally unacceptable in a democratic society.
"It is highly condemnable as it was uncalled for. In order to press for the release of their detained leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Elzakzaky and his wife, the Islamic Movement members have staged peaceful protests in Abuja since last week.
"This morning, security forces attacked the peaceful rally, killed some of the protesters and injured others in a barbaric attack, and in a desperate bid to stop the Shiites from further exposing the lawlessness of the federal government.
"In the process, the security forces breached the fundamental rights of the protesters to life, freedom from torture, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.
"Meanwhile, the federal government has not adduced any justifiable reason why it has continued to incarcerate the El Zakzaky in utter contempt of the federal high court.
"If the federal government is genuinely desirous to stop the protests, it has to comply with the valid and subsisting judgment of the federal high court forthwith.
"It is pertinent to point out that while it is completely illegal to deploy soldiers to shoot and kill protesters, the Nigeria Police Force is required by law to provide adequate security for any group of Nigerians demonstrating for or against the government.
"Accordingly, the violent disruption of the peaceful rally of the Shiites was carried out by security forces outside the ambit of the law.
"Those who carried out the violent disruption of the peaceful rally ought to be prosecuted for culpable homicide."
Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), writes from Lagos.
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source : Punch
Wednesday
18 April 2018
9:23:41 AM
889826
Senior Nigerian advocate: Violent attack on Islamic Movement members highly condemnable act
The human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has condemned the continuous attacks on members of the Islamic Movement, who were protesting the continued detention of Sheikh Zakzaky.