Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADF International), a U.S.-based Christian advocacy group is calling on the Supreme Court of Nigeria to set a date for the hearing in case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a young musician in the country who has been in prison for over six years under blasphemy charges.
A Sharia court previously sentenced Yahaya to death by hanging in 2020 after being accused of sharing allegedly “blasphemous” song lyrics on WhatsApp. Following an appeal, the Kano State High Court overturned his conviction and ordered a retrial, where he would face the same potential death penalty.
In a statement on Thursday, June 25, ADF International decried “procedural obstacles” that had kept Yahaya in prison for years, after the Supreme Court cancelled the young man’s hearing.
Condemning northern Nigeria as having “one of the most dangerous blasphemy laws” in the world, Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom at ADF International, called on the court in Nigeria to uphold the young man’s religious freedom.
“Every delay in Yahaya’s case is another day he must spend behind bars, for nothing more than peacefully expressing his faith in song lyrics. Every delay is another day that one of the most dangerous blasphemy laws in the world sits on the books and is being enforced,” Sean said.
He added, “Yahaya has sat in a prison cell for over six years. How much longer must he wait? The Court should not stall any longer in hearing his case and upholding his right to religious freedom.”
Following the cancellation of the hearing that had been slated for June 25, Yahaya’s case is stalled in the Court with no new date scheduled.
His hearing was expected to have set the date for oral arguments in the case, which is challenging the constitutionality of northern Nigeria’s death penalty blasphemy laws.
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi / Most High Servant,
Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih / Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love
(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)
My vocation is Blessed and Saints.
"I am the most humble of all the Saints in Heaven" Mary, Mother of God."
"I am the handmaid of the Lord, said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me."
Mother Mary is the most humble Saint in Heaven and she is also the Mother of God for us all
(Luke 1:38)
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