Niger’s military junta has refused to release the country’s deposed president Mohamed Bazoum and his family, despite a ruling by the regional court of justice and growing international condemnation. Bazoum and his wife and son have been held under harsh conditions at the presidential palace in Niamey since a coup on July 26, 2023, that ended his six-month rule.
The coup, led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, was the fifth in Niger’s history since independence from France in 1960, and the first since 2010. It sparked widespread protests and sanctions from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which suspended Niger from its membership and threatened military intervention.
On December 7, 2023, the ECOWAS Court of Justice ruled that the coup was illegal and ordered the immediate reinstatement of Bazoum as the legitimate president of Niger. The court also demanded the release of Bazoum and his family, who have been denied access to electricity, running water, medical care, and fresh food, according to their lawyers and relatives.
However, the junta has ignored the court’s decision and maintained its grip on power. On January 8, 2024, a military tribunal in Niamey granted provisional release to Bazoum’s son, Mohamed Bazoum Salem, who had been charged with conspiracy against the state. But the tribunal did not specify the fate of Bazoum and his wife, nor did it lift the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS.
The junta has also formed a new government, led by Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine, and announced a roadmap for a transition to civilian rule within 18 months. However, the opposition parties and civil society groups have rejected the junta’s legitimacy and called for a return to constitutional order and democratic elections.
The international community has also expressed its concern and dismay over the situation in Niger, which is one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the world, facing multiple security threats from Islamist militants and ethnic conflicts. The United States, the European Union, the African Union, and the United Nations have all urged the junta to respect the ECOWAS ruling and release Bazoum and his family.
The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, said that Bazoum’s detention conditions “could amount to inhuman and degrading treatment, in violation of international human rights law”. The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said that Bazoum and his family had been deprived of food, electricity, and medical care for several days. The AU Commission chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said that such treatment of a democratically elected president was unacceptable.
Niger’s neighbors, especially Nigeria, have also taken measures to pressure the junta to comply with the regional bloc’s demands. Nigeria has cut off the electricity supply to Niger and closed its borders, causing severe hardship for the Nigerien people, who depend on trade and aid from their larger neighbors.
Despite the mounting pressure, the junta has shown no sign of relenting or compromising. It has accused ECOWAS of interfering in its internal affairs and violating its sovereignty. It has also rejected any attempt to mediate or negotiate with Bazoum or his party, the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS).
The standoff between the junta and ECOWAS has raised fears of a possible military confrontation or a prolonged crisis that could further destabilize Niger and the region. However, some analysts and observers have also expressed hope that dialogue and diplomacy could still prevail and lead to a peaceful and democratic resolution of the conflict.
Source: Reuters
