Niger: Authorities failing to uphold their commitment to respect human rights since military coup
The report, 'Niger: Threatened and Brought to Heel: Human Rights and Civic Space under pressure since the 26 July Coup', sheds light on the deterioration of civic space and violations of civil and political rights since the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum.
Amnesty International documented human rights violations including arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, abuses of detainees' rights and violations of the right to a fair trial and of press freedom. The victims of arbitrary detention include former President Mohamed Bazoum, his wife, seven cabinet members of the fallen regime, journalists and human rights defenders.
"The Nigerien authorities made a commitment to respect the rule of law and human rights. Our report shows that they have clearly failed." Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International's Interim Regional Director for West and Central Africa
'Upon taking power, the new authorities justified their coup on a continued worsening of the security situation and poor economic and social governance. They made a commitment to respect the rule of law and human rights. Our report shows that they have clearly failed, with a sharp escalation of human rights violations since the coup. They must now keep their commitment', said Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International's Interim Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
Human rights trampled in law and practice
On 28 July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie – CNSP), formed by the military who perpetrated the coup, suspended the 2010 Constitution. The CNSP made an ordinance stressing Niger's commitment to the rule of law and pluralist democracy and to the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
'Despite the guarantees given by the new Nigerien authorities, human rights have been trampled in law and practice. Arbitrary detentions have become common and court rulings are not respected,' said Marceau Sivieude.
Since the coup, former President Mohamed Bazoum and his spouse, Hadiza Mabrouk, have been detained despite a December 2023 ECOWAS Court of Justice ruling that declared their detention arbitrary and called for their release. In June 2024, the former president's immunity was lifted by the State Court, in a process in which he was denied access to his lawyers. Mohamed Bazoum has been charged with 'high treason' and 'plotting with the purpose of threatening state security or the authority of the state', while no charges have been brought against Hadiza Mabrouk. Seven former cabinet ministers, charged with 'infringing on national defence' before military courts, remain arbitrarily detained, despite judicial orders calling for the release of some of them.
"Amnesty International calls on the Nigerien authorities to respect international and regional treaties they are still bound to." Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International's Interim Regional Director for West and Central Africa
The CNSP has also suspended the activities of political parties since July 2023 and rolled back some human rights progress by reinstating prison sentences for offences of defamation. A national registry of persons allegedly involved in terrorism-related activities and other offences was established, which has already been misused to include critics and temporarily deprive them of their citizenship.
'If you criticize the government, be sure that you risk being arrested'
Violations of the right to freedom of expression affecting citizens, civil society members and journalists have been relentless since the coup. In January 2024, the Press House (Maison de la presse), an umbrella group of 32 media organizations, was suspended and replaced by an ad hoc committee headed by the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Interior. Several journalists have been arbitrarily detained, and several international media outlets have been suspended.
The journalist Ousmane Toudou, Mohamed Bazoum's former communications adviser and critic of the current regime, was arrested on 13 April 2024 and accused of 'treason and plotting against the state security'. He remains in detention but has no trial date set.
On 24 April 2024, the editor of the newspaper L'Enquêteur, Soumana Maiga, was arrested after his newspaper published a story about the alleged installation of listening equipment by Russian agents in official state buildings. He is charged with 'infringement of national defence.' On 9 July 2024, he was freed pending trial. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Moussa Tchangari, secretary general of the organization Citizens' Alternative Spaces (Alternatives Espaces Citoyens – AEC), known for his criticism of the authorities, was arrested in December 2024. He was charged with 'infringing on national defence' and 'intelligence with enemy countries' among other charges and remains arbitrarily detained. If convicted, he could face 10 years of imprisonment.
In this repressive climate, self-censorship has become the norm among journalists and human rights defenders, for fear of reprisals. 'If you criticize the government, be sure that you risk being arrested', a civil society member told Amnesty International.
'With the transition period potentially extending to five renewable years following the recommendations of a national consultation held last February, Amnesty International calls on the Nigerien authorities to respect international and regional treaties they are still bound to, which protect the rights to freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, guarantee the right to a fair trial and the rights of those in detention, and prohibit torture and other ill-treatment. They must release all arbitrarily detained persons immediately,' said Marceau Sivieude.
Amnesty International shared the preliminary findings of this report on 13 February 2025 with the Nigerien authorities. At the time of finalizing the report, no responses had been received.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.
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