Keeping children in the same facilities as adults violates international human rights standards and exposes the children to immediate dangers, physical and sexual abuse, and other dangers.
On a sunny afternoon in August 2020, 13-year-old Omar Farouq stood before a Sharia court in Kano State, accused of blasphemy. Too young to understand the gravity of the charges, he listened in disbelief as the judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.
Omar’s ordeal began after a heated argument with a friend, during which they exchanged insults. Soon after, police officers summoned him, and he was charged with blasphemy. When the case became public, an angry mob attacked his home, forcing his mother to flee to a neighbouring village.
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