HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS EXPRESS GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN NIGERIA
Press Release
HR/4213
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS EXPRESS GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN NIGERIA
19951108 GENEVA, 2 November (United Nations Information Service) -- On 2 November, two Special Rapporteurs appointed by the Commission on Human Rights to examine, respectively, questions related to extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the independence of judges and lawyers, transmitted a joint urgent appeal to the Government of Nigeria. In their appeal Bacre Waly Ndiaye and Param Cumaraswamy expressed grave concern about reports that Ken Saro-Wiwa, writer, environmentalist and President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni people, as well as Dr. Barinem Kiobel, Saturday Dobee, Paul Levura, Nordu Eawo, Feliz Nuate, Daniel Gbokoo, John Kpuinen and Bariber Beta, were reportedly sentenced on 30 and 31 October by the Civil Disturbances Tribunal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to be hanged.Since 1993, several mechanisms of the Special Procedures Branch of the Centre for Human Rights in Geneva, established by the Commission for Human Rights, have been monitoring the human rights situation in Nigeria, including the case of Mr. Saro-Wiwa.
In 1994, the Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nigel S. Rodley, sent two urgent appeals to the Government of Nigeria containing allegations that Mr. Saro-Wiwa had been tortured during his detention.
In addition, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention sent three urgent appeals concerning the alleged arbitrary detention of Mr. Saro-Wiwa and others, on 29 July 1993, 7 June 1994 and 4 May 1995. The Working Group has also sent two urgent appeals on behalf of individuals whom the Government alleged were involved in a coup plot.
Moreover, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions also sent two urgent appeals to the Government earlier this year, expressing his deep concern about reported unfair and secret trials before the Military Tribunal and the possible imposition of the death penalty. In those appeals, he requested the Government to provide him with information concerning these trials and to refrain from executing the accused and convicted persons.
- 2 - Press Release HR/4209 8 November 1995
In their appeal of 2 November, the Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and on the independence of judges and lawyers noted the serious allegations received concerning the ill-treatment of Mr. Saro-Wiwa and the other detainees, as well as information received about the unfairness of their trials. The appeal further noted that there have been serious questions raised concerning the lack of independence and impartiality of the Civil Disturbances Special Tribunal, which was allegedly established by the Government specifically to try the case in two separate trials. The Special Rapporteurs referred to the fundamental principles set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the latter of which has been ratified by Nigeria.
Articles 3 and 6, respectively, of the above-mentioned instruments, provide that every individual has the right to life and security of the person, that this right shall be protected by law and that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his or her life. They also make reference to Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, guaranteeing everyone the right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law.
In their current appeal the Special Rapporteurs concluded by requesting the Government of Nigeria not to confirm the convictions of the Civil Disturbances Court and to refrain from carrying out the death sentences.
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