Amnesty International has strongly criticized the stringent bail conditions imposed on the 10 #EndBadGovernance protesters who face treason charges. On Wednesday, a Federal High Court in Abuja set bail at N10 million for each of the ten activists. The court also demanded that they provide sureties who must be property owners in Abuja and submit the relevant property documents to the court.

The Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, voiced serious concerns about these requirements. According to Sanusi, the harsh conditions seem to be a deliberate strategy to suppress dissent and restrict the activists’ ability to challenge government corruption and address poverty, issues they protested against from August 1-10.

Sanusi argued that these conditions are being used to justify arbitrary detentions and excessively limit the activists’ rights to peaceful assembly. He emphasized that Amnesty International is deeply troubled by what it sees as an abuse of legal processes to intimidate and silence human rights defenders, journalists, and other activists.

Sanusi called on the Nigerian authorities to uphold their international human rights obligations, including protecting the right to peaceful protest. He condemned the ongoing crackdown and urged an end to the punitive measures against those who speak out against corruption and injustice.

Amnesty International’s stance highlights growing concerns about the shrinking space for dissent in Nigeria and the broader implications for freedom of expression and assembly in the country.