Nigerian Mother Rhoda Jatau Receives 2026 Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award

Rhoda Jatau, a Nigerian Christian mother who was acquitted of blasphemy charges in 2024, has been honored with the 2026 Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award. The ceremony, held on October 16 at the Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland, recognized Jatau for her commitment to religious freedom. The award is presented annually by the First Step Forum and is named in memory of Shahbaz Bhatti, a Pakistani minister assassinated in 2011 for his opposition to blasphemy laws.

Jatau’s legal ordeal began in May 2022 after she shared a video condemning the mob killing of a Christian student, Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu. Following the post, Jatau faced charges of blasphemy, cybercrime, and religious disturbance. She spent 19 months in custody, during which she was often denied access to her family and legal counsel, before being granted bail in late 2023. A judge in Bauchi State ultimately acquitted her of all charges on December 10, 2024.

Reflecting on her imprisonment, Jatau noted the difficulty of being separated from her children for over a year. Her attorney, Joseph Bata Danboyi, emphasized that the acquittal serves as a significant legal precedent regarding the burden of proof in blasphemy cases.