Amnesty condemns arrest, sentencing of Kaduna journalist Farida Isiak within 24 hours
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Amnesty International has condemned the arrest, prosecution and sentencing of Farida Isiak, a journalist with Nagarta Radio in Kaduna State, within 24 hours over a Facebook comment criticising the police.
Isiak was arrested on Monday, October 20, by police officers under the command of the Divisional Police Officer of Mararaban Jos, Usman Adamu.
Barely 24 hours after her arrest, she was arraigned before a Sharia court in Kawo and sentenced to four years in prison or a fine of N1.75 million on a defamation charge.
The incident reportedly stemmed from a dispute between Isiak’s mother and a neighbour over N100 change during a charcoal sale. Following the disagreement, the police were invited and arrested her mother.
Her father was subsequently detained after he went to the police station to secure his wife’s release.
Isiak later posted a comment on Facebook criticising the police over their treatment of her parents. According to Amnesty International, the post led to her arrest after officers accused her of defaming them.
The rights organisation said Isiak complied with the police’s demands to delete the post and apologise in an attempt to secure her parents’ release. However, she remained in custody and was subsequently taken to court, where she was sentenced.
In a statement published on X, Amnesty International condemned her arrest and sentencing, describing the proceedings as a sham trial and a violation of her rights.
“Amnesty International strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest, detention, and rushed sentencing of 23-year-old journalist Farida Isiak by authorities in Kaduna State. Her arrest and subsequent punishment were clearly because of her attempt to expose abuses by the police. Sentencing a journalist to 4-years in prison after a sham trial is a travesty of justice,” the organisation said.
Amnesty further accused the police of using the detention of Isiak’s parents to compel her to report to the station.
It said the police’s actions, followed by her swift prosecution and sentencing, amounted to an abuse of power and an attempt to silence free speech and intimidate journalists.
“Arresting and holding a citizen’s parents to force a journalist to hand herself over is an unlawful tactic that violates rule of law. Demanding accountability for police actions is a constitutional right,” the organisation said.
Amnesty International called on the Kaduna State Police Command and Nigerian judicial authorities to secure Isiak’s immediate release, drop the charges against her and cancel the fine imposed by the court.
It also urged the Nigeria Police Force to conduct a full and independent investigation into the conduct of the officers involved in the detention of Isiak and her parents.
The organisation further called on Nigerian authorities to stop using defamation charges and the judicial system to harass journalists and restrict press freedom.
