Nigerian Atheist 'Mubarak Bala' Receives Death Threats after Release from Psychiatric Ward
Mubarak Bala, from Kano State who was locked up in a psychiatric hospital by his family for coming out as an atheist, has been freed.
According to BBC, Bala was released on Friday due to the ongoing strike by Nigerian doctors.
The 29-year-old said he wants to leave the predominantly Muslim north of Nigeria after receiving death threats for blaspheming against Islam.
Mr Bala though said first he is trying to reconcile with his family, especially the father, two uncles and older brother who beat him up, drugged him and committed him to the psychiatric ward of Kano city's Aminu Kano teaching hospital for 18 days.
Bala said that since he renounced Islam and declared himself an atheist, he has not only lost the trust of his family, but many friends.
"Most of my friends condemn me and tell me I am bound for hell and that in an Islamic state, I would be killed. Blasphemy is a serious thing here," said Bala, who describes himself on his Twitter page as an ex-Muslim.
The Guardian reports that Bala's lawyer, Muhammad Bello Shehu is preparing to take his case to court.
Shehu is seeking an independent psychiatric evaluation of Mubarak's health to counter the claims of hospital doctors that he has psychological problems, and family claims that he suffered a "personality change" that led to his renunciation of Islam, he said.
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| Mubarak Bala from inside psychiatric ward in Kano |
The 29-year-old said he wants to leave the predominantly Muslim north of Nigeria after receiving death threats for blaspheming against Islam.
Mr Bala though said first he is trying to reconcile with his family, especially the father, two uncles and older brother who beat him up, drugged him and committed him to the psychiatric ward of Kano city's Aminu Kano teaching hospital for 18 days.
Bala said that since he renounced Islam and declared himself an atheist, he has not only lost the trust of his family, but many friends.
"Most of my friends condemn me and tell me I am bound for hell and that in an Islamic state, I would be killed. Blasphemy is a serious thing here," said Bala, who describes himself on his Twitter page as an ex-Muslim.
The Guardian reports that Bala's lawyer, Muhammad Bello Shehu is preparing to take his case to court.
Shehu is seeking an independent psychiatric evaluation of Mubarak's health to counter the claims of hospital doctors that he has psychological problems, and family claims that he suffered a "personality change" that led to his renunciation of Islam, he said.
Nigerian Atheist 'Mubarak Bala' Receives Death Threats after Release from Psychiatric Ward
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