Over 200 Human rights advocates and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are demanding justice and accountability following the controversial arrest and detention of prominent lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi.
A statement signed by Global Rights, the 21st Century Community Empowerment for Youth and Women Initiative, Accountability Lab alongside other advocacy groups, demanded the immediate dismissal of all charges against Farotimi, describing the arrest as aggressive and unlawful, raising concerns about the misuse of police authority and the erosion of free expression in Nigeria.
The statement called for intervention by the Attorney General of Ekiti state to discontinue the case, also demanded the repeal of laws supporting criminal defamation and dismissal of cases initiated under such laws.
It demanded an order from the Inspector-General of Police to cease arrests related to defamation, and called for individuals aggrieved by Farotimi’s book to seek redress through civil courts.
The statement also criticized the use of state resources and law enforcement for personal vendettas, emphasizing that defamation disputes belong in civil courts.
“We the undersigned strongly condemn the arrest, detention, persecution and torture of Mr. Dele Farotimi. While the court sitting in Ekiti has granted him bail, we maintain that the manner of his arrest was an aberration and that Mr. Farotimi should never have been subjected to the criminal justice process in this case.
“Additionally, the prohibitive terms of bail for what is supposed to be a misdemeanor raises the real possibility that Mr. Farotimi’s right to be tried – as required by Nigeria’s constitution – by a court constituted in such a manner as to guarantee its independence and impartiality cannot be guaranteed,” it stated.
