Mubarak Bala, in detention for two years, pled guilty to 18 charges of blasphemy. Activists in the country called the sentence, "a sad day for human rights in Nigeria."
A Nigerian court on Tuesday sentenced Mubarak Bala, an atheist, to 24 years in prison for blasphemy.
"This court hereby sentences Muhammad Mubarak Bala to 24 years … This will take into consideration the time he served awaiting trial," said Judge Faruk Lawan in Kano, Nigeria.
Bala, a former Muslim and the president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, was arrested in April 2020 for what authorities said were social media posts blasphemous toward Islam.
"The Humanist community in Nigeria is utterly shocked by the sentencing of Mubarak Bala for 'blasphemy.' It is utterly disgraceful that a court in this 21st century could convict an individual for making innocuous posts on Facebook," wrote Leo Igwe, a board member of the organization Humanists International.
"Today is a sad day for humanism, human rights and freedom in Nigeria. The sentencing of Mubarak Bala is a stark violation of the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief. We urge the authorities in Nigeria to ensure that this judicial charade does not stand," Igwe added.