Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about Mubarak Bala, President of the Nigerian Humanist Association.
I share your concern for Mr Bala, sentenced to 24 years in prison on charges of blasphemy, and I will ensure that my ministerial colleagues at the FCDO are aware of the strength of public feeling on this matter.
The UK is committed to defending
freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect
between different religious and non-religious communities. The UK
regularly discusses the importance of FoRB with Nigeria, and works via
multilateral fora, such as the UN and the International Religious Freedom
or Belief Alliance, to promote and protect FoRB for all, including in Nigeria.
The UK is very concerned
by the use of blasphemy laws as they generally limit freedom of expression
and regularly applies diplomatic pressure on countries that misuse them.
The British High
Commissioner has raised Mr Bala's case with the Nigerian
authorities on numerous occasions. The Minister for Africa also
raised concerns about Mr Bala's case, including the severity of his sentence,
with the Nigerian Foreign Minister in May. I am assured that ministers and
officials will continue to stress the importance of Mr Bala being treated in
full accordance with his human rights, the rule of law, and the
Nigerian constitutional right to FoRB.
I also note your call for
sanctions. It is not appropriate for me to speculate on potential future
designations as to do so may undermine their effectiveness. I know that
the Government keeps all evidence under close review.
Once
again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further
assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.
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