Niger’s military junta tightens control, silencing dissent, detaining opponents, and ruling by decree. Civil liberties erode as repression deepens, leaving citizens fearful and the nation increasingly isolated on the global stage.
Since the coup on July 26, 2023, Niger has been sliding deeper into authoritarianism, human rights violations, and the suppression of civil society voices. In a report released Tuesday after 18 months of investigation and fieldwork, Amnesty International documented the repression of former officials, an increase in enforced disappearances, and accused the ruling junta of failing to keep its promises.
“In the name of ‘state security’ or ‘safeguarding the homeland,’ the military leaders who seized power in Niamey have imposed authoritarian practices to silence any critical voices,” said Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s acting regional director for West and Central Africa. Freedom of speech, freedom of association, and the right to information have all been trampled. “Arbitrary detentions have become routine, and court rulings are ignored.”
“The regime in Niger, under attack from all sides and threatened from the moment it was born, immediately resorted to paranoia, violence, and repression against potential opponents,” said a regional expert. He noted that the previous regime had already cracked down on freedom of expression and the press. “More than in Mali or Burkina Faso, this fragile government has retained a siege mentality from its tumultuous inception,” he added.
A prime example of this authoritarian shift is the treatment of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained along with his wife, Hadiza Mabrouk, since the coup. In December 2023, the Economic Community of West African States Court of Justice ruled their detention arbitrary and called for their release—so far, to no avail. In June 2024, after nearly a year behind bars, Bazoum was charged with “high treason” and “conspiracy to undermine state security or state authority.” No charges have been filed against Mabrouk.
“The junta fears being overthrown, particularly by ‘Bazoumists’—loyalists of the former regime—or even facing dissent within Niger’s own military,” said the Sahel specialist. “Proof of this paranoia? It is said that leader Abdourahamane Tiani rarely, if ever, leaves the presidential palace.”
Seven former ministers, some of whom have called for the ousted president’s release, remain arbitrarily detained despite court orders demanding their freedom. “This is the clearest example of the junta’s disregard for judicial rulings,” said Ousmane Diallo, Amnesty International’s Sahel researcher. “We are witnessing the normalization of arbitrary rule and the erosion of the rule of law.”
Ruling by decree
Another sign of the junta’s tightening grip is its restrictions on the legal framework. Since July 26, 2023, Niger has been governed by decree, without a transition charter, and with all executive, legislative, and judicial powers concentrated in the hands of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, the junta’s ruling body. Political parties have been suspended, and the military leaders act at their own discretion.
The junta has also introduced a decree establishing a list of “individuals or entities involved in acts of terrorism or any other offenses threatening the strategic and/or fundamental interests of the nation.” These vague criteria allow the government to target critics. Those placed on the list may have their assets frozen or even be temporarily stripped of their nationality. “Since the coup, there are two categories of people in Niger: patriots and stateless persons—those who hold the ‘wrong’ political opinions,” Diallo said.
The crackdown has sent shockwaves through civil society. Journalists and human rights activists fear imprisonment. “If you criticize the government, you can be sure you’ll be arrested,” a Nigerien civil society member told Amnesty International. The organization reported that “in this repressive climate, self-censorship has become the norm, driven by fear of retaliation.”
“Civil society actors are less vocal, more hesitant to speak to foreign media,” Diallo added. “With the suspension of numerous outlets, including France 24, RFI, and the BBC, information flows far less freely than before the coup.”
Source: La Croix International