Human rights organizations are urging the Niger government to immediately release Moussa Tiangari, a prominent civil society activist and human rights defender, following six months of arbitrary detention. The call comes as authorities continue to misuse terrorism-related charges to silence dissenting voices.
Arbitrary arrest and detention
On 3 December 2024, plain-clothes officers forcibly took Moussa Tiangari from his home in Niamey, the capital of Niger. His whereabouts remained unknown for two days before he was located at the Central Service for Combating Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime. On 3 January 2025, the Niamey court charged him with serious offenses, including “criminal association in relation to a terrorist enterprise,” “undermining national defense,” and “conspiracy against state authority in collusion with enemy powers.” A conviction on the last charge could result in the death penalty.
Since his arrest, Tiangari has been held in Filingué Prison, 170 kilometers from Niamey, despite no judicial review of the charges against him. Human rights groups argue that his detention is purely punitive, aimed at silencing criticism of government policies.
Criticism that triggered repression
Three weeks before his arrest, on 12 November 2024, Tiangari publicly criticized the Nigerien Interior Minister’s decision to revoke the licenses of two humanitarian NGOs. He also condemned the creation of a terrorism database, introduced in August 2024, which risks stripping individuals of their citizenship based on vague associations. His social media posts highlighted the measure’s infringement on civil liberties.
International condemnation
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) have jointly condemned Tiangari’s detention. They emphasize that the charges stem from his legitimate exercise of free speech, not recognized criminal offenses. The groups warn that his case reflects a broader crackdown on dissent in Niger since the 2023 military coup.
Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s interim West and Central Africa director, stated: “Moussa Tiangari is detained solely for peacefully defending human rights. Authorities must release him immediately and drop all charges. Using terrorism accusations to silence critics is deeply alarming.”
Drissa Traoré, FIDH Secretary General, added: “His arrest is part of a systematic campaign to silence government critics and consolidate authoritarian control.”
Isidore Ngueuleu, OMCT’s Africa Regional Director, argued: “Tiangari has long been a voice for democracy and sovereignty. A government that respects its people would free him—not punish him.”
Legal battles and ongoing risks
In March and May 2025, courts rejected appeals to nullify Tiangari’s case and transfer it out of the specialized terrorism chamber. His legal team has appealed these rulings. Human rights organizations continue to demand his unconditional release, citing the misuse of preventive detention laws, which can extend up to four years without renewal.
The case underscores the Nigerien authorities’ escalating repression of civil society, media, and opposition figures since the 2023 coup. Reports from Amnesty International in early 2025 documented widespread intimidation of former officials and critics.