Nigeria, May 17 -- UN experts have appealed to the Nigerian government to immediately and unconditionally release Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, who was convicted of blasphemy for writing a song and sharing it on a social messaging service.

Mr Sharif-Aminu was sentenced to death by hanging in August 2020 by an Upper Shari'a Court in Kano, North-west Nigeria, for an allegedly blasphemous song he composed concerning the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.

But on appeal instituted by the convict, the Kano State High Court in January 2021 quashed his conviction and sentence on the grounds that his trial at the Sharia court was characterised by procedural irregularities. On that basis, the court ordered his retrial.

Similarly, in August 2022, the Court of App...