Authorities in Niger are being urged to immediately release former President Mohamed Bazoum, who remains in arbitrary custody two years after a military coup removed him from power, Human Rights Watch stated today.
On July 26, 2023, military officers belonging to the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), led by Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, overthrew the administration of Mohamed Bazoum. Both the president and his wife, Hadiza Bazoum, were taken into custody and continue to be held at the presidential palace in Niamey. They have been denied contact with their family and legal representatives. Furthermore, Mohamed Bazoum is facing an upcoming trial after the military junta stripped him of his presidential immunity in 2024.
“The military junta in Niger demonstrates a blatant disregard for the rule of law every single day it keeps former President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife behind bars,” remarked Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Sahel researcher at Human Rights Watch. “His detention and the politically motivated charges against him undermine any claims by the junta of moving toward a more democratic Niger.”
In August 2023, the ruling council declared its intention to prosecute Mohamed Bazoum for “high treason” and for allegedly compromising the internal and external security of Niger. However, he has yet to be brought before a judge for any preliminary proceedings.
In September of that year, Mohamed Bazoum filed a petition with the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, citing human rights violations against himself and his relatives during their imprisonment. By December, the ECOWAS court ruled that his detention was indeed arbitrary and ordered his immediate release. Subsequently, in January 2025, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso officially terminated their membership in ECOWAS.
By April 2024, legal steps were taken to revoke Mohamed Bazoum‘s immunity so he could be tried for alleged crimes committed during his term. In June, the State Court of Niger ruled against him in a process that failed to meet international standards for due process and fair trials. With his immunity gone, the junta confirmed its plan to pursue high treason charges, though a specific trial date remains unannounced.
In February 2025, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, an independent expert panel, concluded that the imprisonment of Mohamed Bazoum and his wife violated international human rights law. The group called for their immediate freedom.
“Mohamed Bazoum has been subjected to cruel and unlawful confinement for two years without formal charges or a trial, and without the ability to communicate with his children, supporters, or lawyers,” stated Reed Brody, a member of the legal team representing the former president. “Despite explicit rulings from international courts and UN bodies demanding his release, Mohamed Bazoum remains a hostage of the military junta.”
The treatment of Mohamed Bazoum is indicative of a broader pattern by the military junta to suppress political opposition, peaceful dissent, and the media. Human Rights Watch noted that the regime appears focused on cementing its control, which includes delaying the return to civilian governance and the organization of transparent, free, and fair elections.
“Every day that Mohamed Bazoum spends in captivity moves Niger further away from a democratic path,” Ilaria Allegrozzi concluded. “The Nigerien authorities must consider the signal that holding Mohamed Bazoum for two years sends to the region and the international community.”