MEMBERS of the Abuja Left coalition on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja, demanding an immediate end to what they described as the “sham trial” of activist Hassan Taiwo Soweto and community activists Femi Frank.
The protesters, gathered at the Commission’s office carrying placards with inscriptions such as ‘Stop the Persecution of Activists’, ‘Hands Of Soweto’, ‘No to demolition’, ‘Housing is human rights’, ‘Defend Democratic Rights’, and ‘Justice for Soweto and Frank”. They accused the authorities of using the judicial process to intimidate and silence voices critical of government policies.
Addressing protesters, Comrade Gerald Katchy and Comrade Adaramoye Lenin said the continued prosecution of Soweto and Frank represents a dangerous attack on democratic freedoms and the right to dissent.
They wonder while the CP will be promoted when he has so many cases to answer. Gerald asked if intimidating, attacking and Oppression are now yardstick for promotion?
According to the protesters, the charges against the two activists are politically motivated and intended to criminalize legitimate activism. They called on the Human Rights Commission to intervene urgently to ensure that the rights of the accused are protected and that the judicial process is not manipulated for political purposes.
The demonstrators also demanded an independent investigation into the alleged attack involving Jimoh Moshood, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State. The group called for transparency and accountability, insisting that any abuse of power by security agencies must be thoroughly probed.
“We are here to defend democracy and fundamental human rights. The persecution of activists for expressing their views is unacceptable,” one of the protest leaders told reporters.
A petition outlining their demands was submitted to officials of the Commission, urging it to use its constitutional mandate to investigate the matter and make recommendations to the appropriate authorities.
The protesters vowed to continue mobilizing civil society and progressive organizations across the country until the charges against the activists are dropped and a credible investigation is conducted into the incident involving the Lagos police commissioner.
The demonstration ended peacefully, with participants reaffirming their commitment to defending democratic rights and civil liberties in Nigeria.
