Head of Auschwitz Memorial offers to serve 13-year-old Nigerian boy’s prison sentence

Dr Piotr Cywinski, director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, wrote to the president of Nigeria this week to plead for clemency for Omar Farouq, who was recently convicted in a Sharia court in northwest Nigeria.

He wrote: “As the director of the Auschwitz Memorial, that commemorates the victims and preserves the remains of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp, where children were imprisoned and murdered, I cannot remain indifferent to this disgraceful sentence for humanity.”

Although he requested a pardon for the body, he went on to suggest instead that “120 adult volunteers from all over the world, gathered by us – myself personally among them – should each serve a month in a Nigerian prison”.

Dr Cywinski added: “In total, the price for the child’s transgression will be the same, and we will all avoid the worst.

“If you agree to grant clemency, or to the above proposal in lieu of punishment, I will make an attempt to provide financial help for the boy’s proper education. This way, instead of a destroyed young man, Nigeria will gain an aware and educated young citizen.

“You will undoubtedly agree with the statement that human rights begin with the rights of the child. I kindly ask you to consider my proposal favourably.”