Release All #EndBadGovernance Protesters, Drop Treasonable Felony Charges – SERAP, Amnesty International Tell Tinubu

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Amnesty International have asked President Bola Tinubu to release all 76 people arraigned over their involvement in the August #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests.

Recall that 76 protesters were arraigned in court on Friday.

It was gathered that during the proceedings, one minor among the group collapsed at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Reacting to the development, SERAP took to its official X handle to denounce the detention, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release the protesters and drop all charges of ‘treasonable felony’

The group wrote, “The Tinubu administration must unconditionally release the 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters and drop all charges of ‘treasonable felony’ against them, or face legal action. No one should ever be punished for the peaceful exercise of their human rights.”

It also faulted the government’s actions as an attempt to instil fear, evade scrutiny, deny citizens their fundamental rights, and entrench a culture of impunity in Nigeria.

Corroborating, Amnesty International also denounced the arrest and detention of the minors.

It urged the Nigerian government to release all detained individuals, emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional and internationally guaranteed human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

“Amnesty International condemns President Bola Tinubu’s government for the continued detention of minors who participated in the August #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests. The attempts to subject these minors to a sham trial over alleged ‘treason’ demonstrate the government’s utter disregard for the rule of law. Authorities must release them immediately and unconditioally,” they stated.