The erosion of human rights in post-coup Niger

The arbitrary detentions and infringements on the right to freedom of expression by the authorities are steering Niger onto a perilous path concerning human rights.

She further emphasized, “The authorities must cease arbitrary detentions, respect human rights, and ensure press freedom.”

In the wake of the coup, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) responded on July 30 by closing borders between Niger and its member states, suspending commercial and financial transactions, and threatening military intervention if the CNSP did not reinstate President Bazoum. On August 10, ECOWAS imposed sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, targeting the coup leaders and the nation. The African Union, on August 22, suspended Niger from participation in its various bodies and institutions. While calling for a peaceful approach to “the return to constitutional order,” the AU expressed reservations about a potential West African military intervention. Further escalating tensions, Nigerien authorities, on October 11, gave United Nations Resident Coordinator Louise Aubin 72 hours to leave the country. They accused UN Secretary-General António Guterres of “sabotage” for excluding Niger from the UN General Assembly in September.

Since the coup, several former government officials have faced arbitrary detention. These include Sani Mahamadou Issoufou, ex-Minister of Petroleum; Hamadou Adamou Souley, former Interior Minister; Kalla Moutari, ex-Minister of Defense; and Ahmad Jidoud, former Finance Minister. In September, these individuals were transferred to prisons in Filingué Say, Kollo (Tillaberi region), and Niamey. They were subsequently charged with undermining state security by a military tribunal, despite being civilians, a move that contravenes due process guarantees. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch classify these detentions as arbitrary, citing their politically motivated nature.

Human Rights Watch has voiced serious concerns regarding the welfare of Mohamed Bazoum and his family. Both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International insist that authorities must guarantee their safety and respect their fundamental human rights. On August 13, the authorities announced 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 filed a petition with the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria, alleging human rights violations against himself and his family during his detention. He also sought his immediate reinstatement as President of Niger. On October 3, Salem Mohamed Bazoum, the son of the deposed president, legally challenged the legitimacy of his detention before the Niamey High Court. The court ordered his release on October 6; however, the CNSP has not yet implemented this decision. Lawyers representing Bazoum stated in an October 20 press release that he, his wife, and son were being held incommunicado, refuting military leaders’ claims that he attempted to escape.

Members of media organizations and journalists have informed Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International that since the coup, they have experienced escalating pressure in their work, alongside intimidation, including threats of violence and surveillance from government agents and other individuals. Following the coup, local and international journalists have endured threats, online verbal harassment, and physical assaults. On August 3, the CNSP indefinitely suspended international news channels Radio France Internationale and France 24.

One Nigerien journalist confided to Human Rights Watch, “Self-censorship has become a survival tactic for many of us, especially those who have distanced themselves from the new authorities’ views and actions. Journalists prefer not to report on sensitive issues like human rights.”

On September 30, men identifying themselves as security forces arrested Samira Sabou, a blogger and journalist, at her mother’s home in Niamey. 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.” Samira Sabou’s whereabouts remained unknown for seven days. Initially, Niamey judicial police denied her arrest, but on October 7, she was transferred to the Niamey criminal police brigade, where her lawyer and husband visited her. On October 11, she was charged with “producing and disseminating data likely to disturb public order” and subsequently released pending trial. Samira Sabou has a history of arrests related to her journalistic activities. In 2022, she received a one-month suspended sentence for reporting on drug trafficking in Niger, and in 2020, she was arbitrarily detained for 48 days on cybercrime charges.

The authorities have actively silenced dissenting voices. In an August 22 decree, Niger’s military leader, Tiani, inexplicably revoked the positions of six academics and state officials. The day prior, these individuals, along with other academics, had signed a petition distancing themselves from an August 1 statement by the National Union of Teachers and Researchers that expressed support for the CNSP. On October 3, Samira Ibrahim, a social media user known as “Precious Mimi,” received a six-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 300,000 CFA francs (US$480) for “producing data likely to disturb public order.” Her charge stemmed from a Facebook post referencing Algeria’s refusal to recognize the new Nigerien government.

After the coup, CNSP supporters, sometimes organized into self-defense committees, perpetrated violence against members of Bazoum’s party, the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS-Tarayya), and others. This violence may have been exacerbated by political tensions surrounding a potential ECOWAS military intervention. On July 27, pro-government supporters ransacked and set fire to the PNDS headquarters in Niamey. They also burned dozens of vehicles and physically assaulted several party members gathered at the headquarters. One woman reported, “A young man hit me with a stick, while another grabbed my breasts.” Witnesses indicated that security forces failed to take adequate measures to prevent the violence. In August, young members of pro-coup self-defense groups sexually assaulted several women during illegal patrols at major roundabouts in Niamey, according to police and the Nigerien Women’s Rights League. At least four victims filed complaints with the Nigerien police against their attackers, but no one has yet been charged for these offenses.

The CNSP suspended Niger’s constitution but pledged to uphold the rule of law, “pluralistic democracy,” and the rights and freedoms enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1981 African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Niger is a signatory, guarantees freedom of expression and prohibits arbitrary arrest or detention.

Ousmane Diallo, a Sahel researcher at Amnesty International’s West and Central Africa regional office, commented, “Niger stands at a critical juncture.”