Kano Government Rejects ECOWAS Court Ruling on Blasphemy Laws, Cites Constitutional Backing

Kano Government Rejects ECOWAS Court Ruling on Blasphemy Laws, Cites Constitutional Backing

The Kano State Government has pushed back against a recent ruling by the ECOWAS Court of Justice, which declared aspects of its blasphemy laws as violations of human rights. 

The state insists it has the constitutional right to enact laws reflecting the religious and moral values of its majority-Muslim population.

The ECOWAS Court, on April 9, ruled that parts of the Kano State Sharia Penal Code and Penal Code laws infringe upon freedom of expression under regional and international legal frameworks. The court directed the Nigerian federal government to repeal or amend the identified provisions to align with Article 9(2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights