Amnesty raises concerns about secret trial of Boko Haram suspects

Amnesty International on Wednesday expressed concerns about the mass trials of Boko Haram suspects, with the press and the public banned from the hearings on security grounds. AI said justice will remain a mirage for the suspects unless they get fair trials from the Nigerian authorities. In a press statement issued by the Media Manager, […]

Amnesty International on Wednesday expressed concerns about the mass trials of Boko Haram suspects, with the press and the public banned from the hearings on security grounds.

AI said justice will remain a mirage for the suspects unless they get fair trials from the Nigerian authorities.

In a press statement issued by the Media Manager, Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, the Director, Osai Ojigho was quoted as saying that the trials should provide a much-needed opportunity to deliver justice for the many victims of human rights abuses and crimes allegedly committed by Boko Haram members.

“These trials should provide a much-needed opportunity to deliver justice for the many victims of human rights abuses and crimes allegedly committed by Boko Haram members. However, the fact the trials are taking place behind closed doors, with no access for the media or the public, raises huge concerns. Public hearings are crucial for protecting an individual’s right to a fair trial and due process.”
 
“The Nigerian authorities must ensure that all fair trail rights are respected. Defendants must have access to lawyers and interpreters if required, and that witnesses and victims are protected from potential reprisals,” she said.
 
Amnesty International has repeatedly documented how thousands of people have been rounded up in mass arbitrary arrests with little or no evidence and held in detention for years.
 
“In instances where no prima facie case has been established, as is reportedly the situation in some of the cases, detainees should be immediately released.”