Amnesty International Demands Release Of Kaduna Journalist Sentenced To Four Years For Criticising Police On Facebook

The organisation explained that the actions against Isiak were linked to her attempt to expose what she considered the unlawful treatment of her parents by police officers. Amnesty International has condemned the arrest, detention and sentencing of 23-year-old journalist Farida Isiak in Kaduna State, describing the incident as vindictive and an attempt to silence journalists for exposing alleged police abuses. The organisation said Isiak, a reporter with Nagarta Radio in Kaduna, was sentenced to four years in prison or a fine of N1.75 million by a Sharia Court in Kawo over allegations of defamation following a Facebook post criticising the police. In a statement, Amnesty International described the proceedings as a “sham trial” and condemned what it called the arbitrary arrest, detention and rushed sentencing of the journalist. The organisation explained that the actions against Isiak were linked to her attempt to expose what she considered the unlawful treatment of her parents by police officers. According to Amnesty International, the incident began with a minor disagreement between Isiak’s mother and a neighbour over N100 change during a charcoal sale. Police officers subsequently arrested her mother and later detained her father after he reportedly went to the station to secure his wife’s release. The human rights organisation said that the officers used the detention of Isiak’s parents as leverage to compel the journalist to present herself at the police station. Isiak was reportedly taken into custody at about 10:00 p.m. on Monday, October 20, 2026, by officers operating under the command of the Divisional Police Officer of Mararaban Jos, Usman Adamu. When she arrived at the station, the officers reportedly accused her of defaming them through a Facebook post in which she criticised their treatment of her parents Amnesty International said the journalist complied with the police’s demands by deleting the post and apologising in the hope that her parents would be released. However, the organisation stated that the police continued to detain her and subsequently took her before a Sharia Court in Kawo, where she was sentenced to four years in prison or a fine of N1.75 million on defamation charges. Amnesty International condemned the proceedings, arguing that the court’s decision failed to address the misconduct that triggered the dispute and the circumstances surrounding the detention of Isiak’s parents. The organisation described the arrest and sentencing as an abuse of power and accused the authorities of using the judicial system to intimidate journalists and suppress freedom of expression. It also questioned the legality of detaining the journalist’s parents to compel her to report to the police, describing the alleged tactic as a violation of the rule of law. Amnesty International maintained that demanding accountability for the conduct of law enforcement officers is a constitutional right and should not expose journalists to intimidation, arbitrary detention or prosecution. The organisation called on the Kaduna State Police Command and Nigerian judicial authorities to immediately release Isiak, drop the charges against her and cancel the N1.75 million fine imposed on her. It further urged the Nigeria Police Force to launch a full and independent investigation into the conduct of the officers allegedly involved in the arrest and detention of the journalist’s family. Amnesty International also called on Nigerian authorities to stop using defamation charges and judicial proceedings to harass journalists, restrict press freedom and discourage reporting on alleged abuses by security agencies. The organisation warned that actions against journalists for criticising law enforcement officers threaten freedom of expression and undermine the media’s role in holding public institutions accountable.