Niger: Sharp decline in human rights one year after coup

(Nairobi) – Niger’s military authorities have cracked down on the opposition, the media, and peaceful dissent since seizing power in a coup a year ago, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said today.

They have arbitrarily detained former President Mohamed Bazoum, at least 30 deposed government officials and associates of the deposed president, and several journalists. They have refused to monitor military spending and have betrayed their rhetoric of fighting corruption. The Nigerien authorities should immediately release all politically motivated detainees; guarantee respect for fundamental freedoms, especially the rights to freedom of expression, opinion, and association; and publicly commit to transparent and accountable military spending.

“One year after the military coup, instead of taking the path of respecting human rights and the rule of law, the military authorities have tightened their grip on the opposition. Civilized Societyand independent media,” said Samira Daoud, Amnesty International’s West and Central Africa director. “Niger’s military authorities should release Bazoum and all those detained on politically motivated charges and ensure their due process rights.”

On July 26, 2023, General Abdelhamane Tiyani and other Nigerien officers from the National Committee for the Defense of the Land (Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie, CNSP) Overthrow of Mohammad Bazoumwas elected president in 2021 and will detention He, his family, and several members of his cabinet. In response to the coup, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) July 30, 2023, Imposition Sanctionsinclude Economic sanctionstravel bans and asset freezes, imposing sanctions on both the coup leaders and the country as a whole. August 22, 2023 African Union suspended Institutions, agencies and actions in Niger. 28 January 2024, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali Announce They will leave ECOWAS on February 24. Release Sanctions against Niger.

Since the coup, Bazoum and his wife have been detention At the presidential palace in the capital, Niamey. The three groups have repeatedly expressed concern for their well-being. In August 2023, the authorities announced plans Prosecution Bazoum has been charged with “treason” and undermining national security, but he has not yet been brought to court. submit In December 2023, the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja filed a lawsuit against him and his family for human rights violations during his detention. rule Bazoum has been arbitrarily detained and called for his release. Initiate Initiate legal proceedings against Bazoum to lift his presidential immunity so that he can be prosecuted for crimes committed after his election as president in 2021. June 14, 2024 NigerState Courts Release Immunity after legal proceedings Failure Meeting basic due process and international fair trial standards, including the right to a defence.

Military authorities have also arbitrarily arrested at least 30 officials from the ousted government, including former ministers, members of the presidential cabinet, and associates of the ousted president, without granting them due process and fair trial rights. Lawyers representing those arrested said their clients were secretly detained by intelligence services and then transferred to high-security prisons on trumped-up charges. At least four of them were granted bail in April, while the others, despite being civilians, were tried in military courts on charges including “threatening national security.”

Since the 2023 coup, Media freedom is severely restricted Authorities in the country have threatened, harassed and arbitrarily arrested journalists, many of whom say they Self-censorship Fear of retaliation.

On September 30, a man claiming to be a member of the security forces Arrested Blogger and journalist Samira Sabou at her mother’s home in Niamey. whereabouts still unknown Seven days. The Niamey Judicial Police initially deny arrested her, but on 7 October she was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Niamey Police Department, where her lawyer and husband Visited She was detained. On October 11, she was charged with “production and dissemination of data that could disturb public order” and released pending trial. A trial date has not yet been set.

On January 29, the Minister of the Interior release A decree suspending the activities of the independent media organization Maison de la Presse and announcing the creation of a new management committee for the media organization, headed by the secretary general of the Ministry of the Interior.

On April 13, security forces Arrested Ousmane Toudou, a journalist who served as communications adviser to the ousted president, condemned the military takeover in a widely circulated social media post in the days following the July 2023 coup. In May 2024, he was charged with “conspiracy to endanger national security” and sent to pretrial detention.

On April 24, security forces Arrested Soumana Maiga is inspectorEarlier, the newspaper reported a report published by a French newspaper that Russian agents were suspected of installing eavesdropping equipment on official state buildings. In May, he was brought before a judge and charged with crimes against national defense and release The trial will begin on July 9.

Tchima Illa Issoufou, Hausa BBC Radio Niger journalist, explain She was threatened by members of the security forces for reporting on the security situation in the Tillaberi region of western Niger, accusing her of trying to “destabilize Niger,” where armed Islamist groups have launched attacks on civilians and security forces. “I was attacked on social media by supporters of the military junta,” she told Amnesty International after fleeing Niger for another country in May. “They accused me of working under the influence of foreign powers.” On April 26, security forces arrested Ali Taira, a civil society activist whom Issoufou had interviewed.

On 29 May, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights release A notice suspends all visits by human rights groups to Niger prisons “until further notice”. violation National and international human rights law, including Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,Niger Approved 1988.

On 12 June, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights release A press release announced that the Cybercrime Law of 2019 has been amended. The law criminalizes “the dissemination, production and provision of data to others through information systems that may disrupt public order or threaten human dignity.” Repression In 2020, the Bazoum government made significant progress on human rights, including the right to freedom of expression online. In 2022, following a sustained civil society campaign, Revision The law replaced imprisonment for defamation-related offenses with fines. However, a June 12 amendment restored prison sentences.

“A series of attacks on journalists over the past year demonstrates the authorities’ determination to restrict press freedom and the right to access information,” said Drissa Traoré, Secretary General of the International League for Human Rights. “The 2019 amendment to the cybercrime law is a dangerous step backwards that could be used to silence any voice deemed dissenting, and will certainly further target human rights defenders, activists and journalists. The Nigerien authorities must reverse this decision and guarantee freedom of expression.”

this African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political RightsBoth conventions, which Niger ratified in 1986, guarantee the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

February 23, Tiani swear After taking power, he cracked down on corruption. sign A decree abolishing any control over military spending. The decree states that “expenditures for the procurement of equipment or materials or any other supplies, works or services for the defence and security forces (…) shall be excluded from the scope of public procurement and public accounting legislation” and shall also be tax-exempt. The organizations say transparency in military budgets and spending is essential to tackle corruption and mismanagement, and contributes to respect for human rights and the rule of law, adequate management of military spending and government accountability.

“Public oversight of the military’s economic activities is essential not only to restoring civilian democratic rule and holding military officials accountable for abuses of power, but also to preventing the loss of public resources to corruption and mismanagement,” he said. Ilaria AllegrozziSenior Sahel researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Nigerien authorities should commit to transparency and accountability by immediately disclosing verifiable financial information on military spending.”