Clooney Foundation joins call for Sowore’s release

The Clooney Foundation, founded by Hollywood star George Clooney and his lawyer wife, Amal has joined the global call for Omoyele Sowore’s release by the defiant Nigeria’s Department of State Services.


In a statement Friday, the foundation expressed outrage about Sowore’s continued detention and urged the Nigerian authorities to release him, in compliance with the court order.

Below is the full statement by the Clooney Foundation...


The Clooney Foundation for Justice’s TrialWatch initiative has been monitoring the trial of Omoyele Sowore in Nigeria.

While Mr. Sowore’s trial is still ongoing, the Clooney Foundation for Justice is concerned by Mr. Sowore’s continued detention.

On October 21, 2019, the Federal High Court of Abuja reduced the conditions under which Mr. Sowore could be granted bail – eliminating a cash bail requirement and requiring that Mr. Sowore not speak publicly about political issues and remain within a particular region of Nigeria.

According to defense counsel, Mr. Sowore met those conditions on November 5. The court then issued an order dated November 6 that explicitly stated that Mr. Sowore “has been Released.”

But Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has not released Mr. Sowore and he remains in custody more than 15 days after this judicial decision.

Amal Clooney, co-President of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, said “It is outrageous that Nigeria continues to imprison a journalist and Presidential candidate after a court has ordered
his release. TrialWatch will continue to monitor Mr. Sowore’s trial and calls on the authorities to implement the court’s order as soon as possible.”