Since the military coup on July 26, 2023, Nigerien authorities have engaged in arbitrary arrests of numerous former government officials and suppressed critical media outlets and peaceful opposition. This has been highlighted by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. These organizations urge the immediate release of all individuals detained for politically motivated reasons and emphasize the importance of upholding due process guarantees.
On July 26, General Abdourahmane Tiani, along with other Nigerien army officers forming the self-proclaimed National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), deposed President Mohamed Bazoum’s administration. Following the coup, President Bazoum, his spouse, and their son have been held at the presidential palace in Niamey, the capital, while numerous other officials have also been apprehended. The authorities have resorted to threats, harassment, intimidation, and arbitrary detentions against journalists, young people, perceived political adversaries, and individuals expressing critical viewpoints.
The arbitrary arrests and violations of the right to freedom of expression by the authorities are pushing Niger onto a perilous trajectory regarding human rights.
Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Sahel researcher at Human Rights Watch.
She further urged, “The authorities must cease arbitrary detentions, respect fundamental human rights, and safeguard press freedom.”
In response to the coup, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) initiated several measures, including closing borders between Niger and member states on July 30, suspending commercial and financial transactions, and threatening military intervention if the CNSP did not reinstate President Bazoum. On August 10, ECOWAS imposed further sanctions, such as travel bans and asset freezes, on the coup leaders and the nation. The African Union (AU) suspended Niger from participation in its bodies and activities on August 22, though it expressed reservations about potential West African military intervention, advocating for a peaceful approach to restore constitutional order.
On October 11, Nigerien authorities ordered United Nations Resident Coordinator Louise Aubin to depart the country within 72 hours. This action followed accusations against UN Secretary-General António Guterres of “sabotage” for Niger’s exclusion from the UN General Assembly in September.
Since the coup, several former government officials have faced arbitrary arrest, including Sani Mahamadou Issoufou (former Minister of Petroleum), Hamadou Adamou Souley (former Minister of Interior), Kalla Moutari (former Minister of Defense), and Ahmad Jidoud (former Minister of Finance). In September, these individuals were transferred to prisons in Filingué Say, Kollo (Tillaberi region), and Niamey, where they were charged with undermining state security by a military tribunal. This move is particularly concerning as they are civilians, a clear violation of due process guarantees. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch consider these detentions to be politically motivated and arbitrary.
Human Rights Watch has expressed deep concern regarding the welfare of Mohamed Bazoum and his family, with both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International calling for authorities to ensure their safety and uphold their human rights. On August 13, the authorities declared their intention to prosecute Bazoum for “high treason” and endangering national security, though he has yet to appear before a judge. On September 18, Mohamed Bazoum lodged a petition with the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria, citing human rights violations against himself and his family during their detention and requesting his immediate reinstatement as Niger’s president. Subsequently, on October 3, Salem Mohamed Bazoum, the deposed president’s son, legally challenged the legitimacy of his detention before the Niamey High Court. While the court ordered his release on October 6, the CNSP has not yet implemented this ruling. In a press statement issued on October 20, Bazoum’s legal team stated that he, his wife, and his son were being held incommunicado, refuting military leaders’ claims of an escape attempt.
Members of media organizations and journalists have informed Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International about the escalating pressure they face in their professional activities since the coup, including intimidation, threats of violence, and surveillance from government agents and other actors.
Following the coup, both local and international journalists have been subjected to threats, online verbal harassment, and physical assaults. On August 3, the CNSP indefinitely suspended the international news channels Radio France Internationale and France 24.
“Self-censorship has become a survival tactic for many of us, particularly for those who have distanced themselves from the new authorities’ views and actions,” a Nigerien journalist told Human Rights Watch. “Journalists prefer to avoid discussing sensitive issues such as human rights.”
On September 30, Samira Sabou, a prominent blogger and journalist, was apprehended at her mother’s home in Niamey by men identifying themselves as security forces. Her husband recounted to Amnesty International, “Men in civilian clothes, claiming to be security forces, came to arrest Samira. They put a hood over her head and took her away.” Her whereabouts remained unknown for seven days, with Niamey’s judicial police initially denying her arrest. However, on October 7, she was transferred to the Niamey police’s criminal investigation department, where her lawyer and husband were able to visit her. By October 11, she was charged with “producing and disseminating data likely to disturb public order” and subsequently released pending her trial.
Samira Sabou has a history of arrests related to her journalistic activities. In 2022, she received a suspended sentence for her reporting on drug trafficking in Niger, and in 2020, she was arbitrarily detained for 48 days on cybercrime allegations.
The authorities have actively suppressed dissenting voices. A decree issued on August 22 by Tiani, Niger’s military leader, inexplicably revoked the positions of six academics and state officials. The day prior, these individuals, along with other academics, had signed a petition disassociating themselves from a statement by the national teachers’ and researchers’ union that expressed support for the CNSP. Furthermore, on October 3, social media user Samira Ibrahim, known as “Precious Mimi,” received a six-month suspended prison sentence and a 300,000 CFA franc (US$480) fine for “producing data likely to disturb public order.” Her charges stemmed from a Facebook post referencing Algeria’s refusal to acknowledge Niger’s new government.
Following the coup, supporters of the CNSP, at times organized into self-defense committees, perpetrated acts of violence against members of Bazoum’s party, the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS-Tarayya), and other groups. This violence may have been exacerbated by political tensions surrounding a potential military intervention by ECOWAS.
On July 27, pro-CNSP supporters ransacked and set fire to the PNDS headquarters in Niamey. They also destroyed dozens of vehicles and physically assaulted several party members who had gathered there. One woman recounted, “A young man hit me with a stick, while another grabbed my breasts.” Witnesses reported that security forces failed to take adequate measures to prevent these violent acts.
In August, young members of self-defense groups backing the coup sexually assaulted several women during unauthorized patrols at major roundabouts in Niamey, as reported by police and the Nigerien Women’s Rights League. Although at least four victims have lodged complaints with the Nigerien police against their attackers, no one has been charged for these offenses to date.
Despite suspending Niger’s constitution, the CNSP pledged to uphold the rule of law, “pluralist democracy,” and rights enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1981 African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. However, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Niger is a signatory, explicitly guarantees the right to freedom of expression and prohibits arbitrary arrest or detention, principles that appear to be undermined.
Ousmane Diallo, Sahel researcher at Amnesty International’s West and Central Africa regional office, stated, “Niger stands at a critical juncture.”
Freedom of expression, the right to dissent, and a free press are fundamental to the enjoyment of other rights and to ensuring government accountability. The transitional military authorities must act decisively to halt the escalating threats, harassment, intimidation, arrests, and violence targeting Nigerien journalists, media organizations, and opposition figures. They must also take effective measures to respect, protect, promote, and implement the rights of all individuals across the country.
Ousmane Diallo, Sahel researcher at Amnesty International’s West and Central Africa regional office