Omoyele Sowore’s Re-Arrest: Buhari Woefully Out Of Touch With DSS - US Senator
New Jersey is watching. The United States is watching. And the world is watching.
I fear that the blatant harassment of Mr Sowore, an activist, journalist whose only crime appears to be exercising his right to freedom of expression is becoming symptomatic of increasingly closing political and civic space in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Court had twice
ordered his release on bail. And the state Security Agency openly defied the court order each time leading me to conclude either Nigeria no longer respect the rule of law or President Buhari is woefully out of touch with what agency of his government are doing in his name. This is unacceptable in a country that calls itself a democracy.
Freedom of the Press is a fundamental pillar of democracy and an indispensable check on government overreach. Journalist who risk their lives to expose the truth should be celebrated not incarcerated.
Over 200 years ago, our founding fathers had the foresight to recognise the importance of a free press to a fledgling democracy enshrined in our First Amendment. Today, that report cannot be overstretched. It is unacceptable to treat the husband and father of a US citizen with such blatant cruelty.
We stand here with the family who is devastated by the uncertainty that this action have caused. Today, my office contacted our ambassador in Nigeria in an effort to obtain answer about what action the United State is taking on Sowore family’s behalf.
In the next seven days, I will continue to engage in the State Department in Washington to ascertain the impact of the rearrest or Sowore and the detention of other activist and journalist will have on our relationship with Nigeria.
My hope is that the bilateral relationship we have in Nigeria will be reassessed in line with this event. Mr Sowore needs to be free and he needs to be free now. The rule of law must be observed and that means he should be liberated.
– Bob Menendez, Senator of The United States of America (New Jersey)
I fear that the blatant harassment of Mr Sowore, an activist, journalist whose only crime appears to be exercising his right to freedom of expression is becoming symptomatic of increasingly closing political and civic space in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Court had twice
ordered his release on bail. And the state Security Agency openly defied the court order each time leading me to conclude either Nigeria no longer respect the rule of law or President Buhari is woefully out of touch with what agency of his government are doing in his name. This is unacceptable in a country that calls itself a democracy.
Freedom of the Press is a fundamental pillar of democracy and an indispensable check on government overreach. Journalist who risk their lives to expose the truth should be celebrated not incarcerated.
Over 200 years ago, our founding fathers had the foresight to recognise the importance of a free press to a fledgling democracy enshrined in our First Amendment. Today, that report cannot be overstretched. It is unacceptable to treat the husband and father of a US citizen with such blatant cruelty.
We stand here with the family who is devastated by the uncertainty that this action have caused. Today, my office contacted our ambassador in Nigeria in an effort to obtain answer about what action the United State is taking on Sowore family’s behalf.
In the next seven days, I will continue to engage in the State Department in Washington to ascertain the impact of the rearrest or Sowore and the detention of other activist and journalist will have on our relationship with Nigeria.
My hope is that the bilateral relationship we have in Nigeria will be reassessed in line with this event. Mr Sowore needs to be free and he needs to be free now. The rule of law must be observed and that means he should be liberated.
– Bob Menendez, Senator of The United States of America (New Jersey)
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