The human rights watchdog, said selecting a few journalists to cover the proceedings “violates all fair hearing guarantees”.
Amnesty International (AI) has condemned the selection of only 10 media organisations to cover the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which resumes today (Monday).
The Federal High Court of Nigeria had on Sunday released a memo identifying only 10 media houses approved to cover the trial of the IPOB leader.
The media organisations include the TV station and newspaper belonging to the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, TVC, and The Nation respectively; Premium Times, Daily Independent, The Herald, NTA, AIT, News Agency of Nigeria, and Channels TV.
The human rights watchdog, said selecting a few journalists to cover the proceedings “violates all fair hearing guarantees”.
“Amnesty International condemns Nigerian authorities’ restriction of the number of journalists that can report the trial of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, which started today in Abuja,” the statement reads.
“Selecting few journalists to cover the trial is a restriction on access to information and an attempt to deny people the right to know. It also violates all fair hearing guarantees.
“We call on the Nigerian authorities to respect the right to fair hearing and immediately lift the restriction and allow the media unhindered access to the court to do their job. This is yet another bizarre and unacceptable attack on the Nigerian media that must not stand.”
In June, Kanu was arrested in Kenya and extradited to Nigeria to face charges of treason.
He was subsequently arraigned before Binta Nyako, a Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja who asked him to be remanded at the DSS custody.
Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him at the court in response to years of campaign for the independent Republic of Biafra through IPOB.
He was granted bail in April 2017 on health grounds but fled the country after the Nigerian military attacked his residence.