Mubarak Bala, a Nigerian atheist who was initially sentenced to 24 years in prison for blasphemy-related charges in 2022, has had his sentence reduced to five years upon appeal.
His lawyer, James Ibori, revealed that a three-judge appellate court in Kano state deemed the original sentence as “excessive” and contrary to legal provisions.
Bala has already spent four years in prison and it remains uncertain when he will be released, having been held without charge for over a year.
Formerly the President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, Bala was detained and convicted on blasphemy charges by a Kano High Court, sparking widespread concern over freedom of speech in Nigeria.
His arrest stemmed from accusations by certain Muslim groups of posting disparaging remarks about Islam on social media.
