Nigerian mom who beat blasphemy charge wins freedom award

A Nigerian mother previously acquitted of blasphemy charges received a religious freedom award on Friday. Rhoda Jatau received the prestigious Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award. The accolade annually honors an individual who has courageously advanced religious freedom and human rights. The award comes from the international organization First Step Forum, which is a global network of ambassadors, members of parliament, journalists, advocates, and former prime ministers. Jatau was nominated for the award by the Alliance Defending Freedom, the legal organization said in a news release.

How did Jatau advance religious freedom? Nigerian authorities imprisoned Jatau for 19 months after she shared a video on Whatsapp condeming the the killing of Christian student, Deborah Yakubu. A mob had beaten and burned Yakubu to death for allegedly blaspheming Muhammad, the founder of Islam. Jatau was arrested later in 2022 and accused of blasphemy, which is a crime under Nigerian law. The country has regularly used blasphemy laws to silence religious minorities, ADF said. Jatau was later fully acquitted and released in 2024 to be reunited with her five children. Her case drew widespread attention, including from United Nations experts.

What have others said about Jatau? Her time in prison did not break her faith or her resolve, said ADF attorney Sean Nelson. Jatau’s lawyer added that international pressure helped free the mother, who faced the first case of blasphemy in Bauchi State. First Step Forum’s executive director emphasized that Jatau courageously endured imprisonment so that others might live free from fear.

Dig deeper: Listen to Onize Oduah’s report for The World and Everything in It for details on how Christians can be tried for blasphemy under Nigeria’s laws.