Protesters in Nigeria face death penalty after treason accusation sparks outrage

ABUJA, Nigeria — At least ten protesters in Nigeria faced the death penalty on Monday after being accused of treason for taking part in recent demonstrations against the country's worst economic crisis in a generation.

The protesters were tried in the capital Abuja and accused of acting “with the intent to destabilize Nigeria… and intimidate the president” during the protests. They pleaded not guilty and will remain in jail pending a bail hearing on September 11.

A British citizen was also named among the suspects still at large. The British High Commission did not initially respond to a request for comment.

Nigerian police spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi accused Andrew Wynne of working as a foreign mercenary with the protesters and of “creating a network of sleeper cells to overthrow the government and plunge the country into chaos.” He provided no evidence to support this claim.

Amnesty International said at least 22 protesters were shot dead by security forces during the demonstrations. The authorities denied this. The Associated Press confirmed at least three killings.

Little is known about the fate of hundreds of other arrested demonstrators.

There are growing concerns in Nigeria about human rights violations under the government of President Bola Tinubu, who was elected last year on promises of positive change.

The protesters were charged under Nigeria's penal code, which critics say is one of the harshest laws in the country and is used by the authorities to suppress dissent. Treason is punishable by death.

The trial was widely condemned in Nigeria.

“Some of the charges demonstrate the lengths the Nigerian authorities will go to in abusing the criminal justice system to silence critical voices. These are obviously trumped-up charges that must be withdrawn immediately,” Amnesty Country Director Isa Sanusi said in a statement.

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Associated Press writer Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria, contributed.