Nigerian Journalist Jailed After Exposing Attacks on Christians
By Scott Morgan, Juicy Ecumenism:
A journalist in Nigeria’s north has seemingly crossed government officials by reporting on attacks against Christians there.
Luka Binnayet accused authorities in the Muslim-majority Kaduna State of an inadequate response to attacks in southern Kaduna this past September.
Arrested and charged with violating Nigeria’s cybercrime law, Binnayet was accused of releasing false information. Now both international religious freedom and free press advocates spotlight his case as an example of public officials charging journalists with crimes because of their reporting.
Kaduna State is among the flashpoints for the sectarian violence that plagues Nigeria, where populations in the north and middle belt of the country face long standing ethnic and religious tensions.
While incarcerated, Binnayet’s health began to decline. The conditions under which he was held for 84 days – before he even had an appearance before a judge – appear to be a factor. He informed the advocacy group International Christian Concern that he was smuggled from a police detention facility into the prison.
Among the organizations that have taken up Binnayet’s case is the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which designated the Nigerian journalist to be a Prisoner of Conscience with a dedicated profile on their website. Church in Chains, an Irish NGO that advocates on behalf of the Persecuted Church, also has documented his case on their website.
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