The Commonwealth suspended Nigeria over
Saro-Wiwa's execution |
A leading US
human rights organisation has accused the Nigerian Government of
using violence and intimidation to silence its critics.
The report by Human Rights Watch was released as Nigeria prepares
to host a meeting of 52 Commonwealth heads of government which
begins on Friday.
The report accuses Commonwealth leaders of double standards and
says they should not turn a blind eye to abuses.
Nigerian officials rejected the accusations as an "exaggeration".
Queen Elizabeth II will open the meeting in the capital, Abuja.
Hypocritical
The 40-page report accuses the Nigerian Government of being
responsible for killings, torture and harassment of its critics over
the last two years.
The
report, entitled "Renewed Crackdown on Freedom of Expression", says
that opposition leaders, political protesters and journalists have
all fallen foul of the security forces.
"Even though military rule has ended, Nigerians still cannot
express themselves freely without fear of grave consequences," said
Peter Takirambudde, executive director of the group's Africa
division.
He also accuses police of recently beating up members of the
Ogoni ethnic group.
And he says the Commonwealth was hypocritical in excluding
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe from the meeting while ignoring
violence in Nigeria.
"Foreign governments remained virtually silent about election
violence in Nigeria, yet abuses during the Zimbabwe elections
provoked widespread condemnation," Mr Takirambudde said.
"Unless the Commonwealth addresses abuses in all of its member
countries and denounces them accordingly, it will stand accused of
maintaining double standards and its credibility will be
undermined."
Embarrassment
Responding to the accusations, Julius Ihonvbere - a special
adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo - told the Associated Press
news agency that democracy in Nigeria needed support and
encouragement, and should not be "kicked down".
"The human rights community in this country has a mindset of
opposition at all costs," he said.
However, the BBC's Anna Borzello in Lagos says the criticism is
of particular embarrassment to the government as the execution of
Ogoni activist Ken Saro-Wiwa eight years ago led to Nigeria being
suspended from the Commonwealth.
The country was only re-admitted in 1999 with the return of
civilian rule and President Obasanjo has since fought hard to gain
acceptance on the world stage.
The decision to hold the Commonwealth heads of government meeting
in Nigeria has been taken as proof that the country has finally
fully returned to the fold.
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Unless the Commonwealth addresses abuses
in all of its member countries and denounces them accordingly,
its credibility will be undermined 
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