Human rights activists and supporters of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaki, the illegally detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, held a protest rally in London on Wednesday demanding his immediate release from prison.

Iran Press/Europe: The Head of Islamic Human Rights Commission in London, Massoud Shajareh who attended the protest said: "Two-and-a-half years have now passed since Nigeria's highest court ruled that Sheikh Zakzaki is an innocent man and should be released from prison. However, the Nigerian government has effectively ignored the supreme court ruling, and has refused to set the Sheikh free."

According to an Iran Press report, Massoud Shajareh added: "Medical tests confirm that the imprisoned Sheikh Zakzaki has been suspiciously poisoned, and if he is not transferred to a hospital soon, he will die."

Shajareh stressed that the Nigerian government's treatment of Sheikh Zakzaki shows that it is as if they want to kill him and that it is up to freedom-seekers and conscientious people all over the world to demand his release, and not to keep silent.

Other speakers at the rally talked about the Nigerian Islamic leader and elaborated on the Nigerian government's brutalities against Muslims, and specially supporters of the Sheikh.

Calling UK police, the Nigerian embassy tried to stop the protests but the protesters refused to disperse.

The protesters, slamming the Nigerian government and its supporters, stressed urgent action by International organisations, including United Nations, to assist Sheikh Zakzaki and his wife.

Sheikh Zakzaki has been held in detention since December 2015 and was charged just in April 2018 with unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace, allegations that are rejected by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).

In 2016, Nigeria’s federal high court ordered his unconditional release from jail following a trial, but the government has so far refused to set him free.

On Sunday, Sheikh Zakzaki’s son warned that his father's physical condition is severely deteriorating and nearly all options to save his life have been lost.

On Friday, the UK-based Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) announced that it had received reports that Zakzaki’s health condition had further worsened. 101/211/215

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