EU Parliament Calls for Release of Kano Singer Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy

The European Union Parliament has passed a resolution urging the Nigerian government to immediately release Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a musician who was sentenced to death for blasphemy in Kano State.

The resolution, which also called for the repeal of Nigeria’s blasphemy laws, argued that these laws contradict the country’s constitutional and international human rights obligations.

This resolution, identified as RC-B10-0101/2025, was shared by Sharif-Aminu’s lawyer, Kola Alapinni, on his X (formerly Twitter) account. Alapinni, an international human rights attorney, hailed the move as a “mission accomplished,” noting that the resolution was passed with overwhelming support and nearly unanimous approval in the European Parliament.

Sharif-Aminu, a 22-year-old musician, was sentenced to death in August 2020 by an Upper Sharia Court in Kano for allegedly making blasphemous statements about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in a song. However, the Kano State High Court overturned the conviction and death sentence in January 2021, citing procedural irregularities during the Sharia court trial. The court ordered a retrial, and the Court of Appeal upheld this decision in August 2022. Despite this, Sharif-Aminu remains in detention as his case is still pending before Nigeria’s Supreme Court.

The European Parliament’s resolution expressed grave concern over human rights violations in blasphemy cases and referenced international conventions along with Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and expression. It called for the immediate and unconditional release of Sharif-Aminu, as well as others facing blasphemy charges. The resolution also demanded improvements in his detention conditions, including access to food, clothing, and medical care. Additionally, it called for a swift and fair appeal process at the Supreme Court.

The EU Parliament further urged the Nigerian government to impose a nationwide moratorium on executions and to work toward the abolition of the death penalty. It also called for stronger measures to combat impunity in blasphemy cases by penalizing those who make false accusations and prosecuting perpetrators of mob violence.

The resolution commended Nigeria for the recent acquittal of Rhoda Jatau and the release of Mubarak Bala, both of whom had been detained on blasphemy charges. It instructed the President of the European Union Parliament to forward the resolution to the European Commission, the European Council, the European External Action Service, and the Nigerian Parliament.

As of now, Nigerian authorities have yet to respond to the EU Parliament’s demands.