EP plenary: The risk of death penalty and execution of singer Yahaya Sharif Aminu for blasphemy in Nigeria

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Madam President, Honourable Members of the European Parliament,

This debate today is about freedom of religion and belief, and the issue of capital punishment. 

The European Union has a long-standing and very clear position on freedom of religion or belief. And this is a priority in the European Union’s external human rights policy. 

In addition, the European Union strongly opposes death penalty, at all times and in all circumstances.

Today we are looking to Nigeria, where all the eyes are on the case of Mr Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, who has been detained since 2020 for blasphemy and was, as a result, sentenced to death. The European Union has been closely following this case since the very beginning. 

The European Union remains strongly committed to the protection of human rights in Nigeria, with ongoing dialogue and support to different programmes. 

The European Union has engaged locally and recommended the decriminalisation of these offences. The European Union has advocated against the use of the death penalty, physical punishment or deprivation of liberties as penalties for blasphemy.

The European Union continues to call on the Nigerian authorities to respect their international obligations on freedom of religion and belief. It is essential that Nigerian citizens are able to exercise freedom of religion and belief. 

In the last Human Rights dialogue that took place in February 2023, the European Union and its Member States engaged with their Nigerian counterparts on the issues at stake in this case. 

The European Union will continue to call on the Government of Nigeria to put in place an official moratorium on the death penalty, as a first step towards its abolition. At present, Nigeria has a largely respected de facto moratorium on the death penalty.

Finally, the European Union will continue to support Nigerian human rights activists and civil society, as we do worldwide, because this is a fundamental principle of the European Union. We hear from those activists that our support is important: be it through public statements, attending trials, financial support or meeting with them. These European Union actions matter.

We have taken a stand on this issue and we will continue to press our case in the appropriate manner.

Thank you.

Link to video (starting at 16:38): https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-239846