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Blasphemy: After Being Released From Prison, Atheist Bala Expresses Concerns About His Safety

Since regaining his release, Mubarak Bala, a self-described atheist, has expressed concerns about his safety.

After serving four years in prison for blasphemy, Bala reportedly regained his freedom.

Following accusations of blasphemy and provocation, Bala was brought into custody at his Kaduna residence on April 28, 2020, and transported to Kano.

He was charged with violating public order and stirring Muslim indignation.

Human rights organizations voiced worries about his safety and Nigeria’s commitment to freedom of expression after his case garnered international notice.

He pleaded guilty to 18 counts, including blasphemy and incitement, and was given a 24-year prison sentence by a Kano State High Court in 2022.

Bala, the head of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, had been in custody for two years pending trial prior to his punishment.

But once an appellate court determined that his sentence was harsh, it was later lowered.

Regarding his safety upon his release, Bala told the BBC on Tuesday that he is being held in a secure facility because of claimed threats of harm.

“Freedom is here, but there is an underlying threat that I will now have to deal with. Those threats may have existed for years while I was under the security system,” he stated. I’m constantly worried about my safety.

In response to a question on why he entered a guilty plea to the charges in 2022, Bala stated that he did so out of a desire to protect himself and other parties involved in the case.

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