Amnesty International’s report reveals that Niger’s military authorities have failed to uphold human rights since the July 2023 coup. The report highlights widespread abuses, including arbitrary detentions and violations of freedom of expression, affecting former officials, journalists, and human rights defenders. Despite commitments to the rule of law, the authorities’ actions reflect a severe regression in civil liberties, necessitating urgent international intervention to protect human rights.
The Nigerien military-led authorities are failing to honor their commitment to uphold human rights following the July 2023 coup, according to Amnesty International’s recent report. The document titled “Niger: Threatened and Brought to Heel: Human Rights and Civic Space Under Pressure Since the 26 July Coup” highlights the deteriorating civic space and increasing violations of political and civil rights since the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum.
Amnesty International’s report details numerous human rights abuses, including arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and violations of the right to a fair trial and freedom of the press. Notably, victims of such detentions include former President Bazoum, his wife, cabinet members, journalists, and human rights defenders.
The authorities publicly committed to fostering the rule of law and human rights yet have severely deviated from this promise. Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s Interim Regional Director for West and Central Africa, emphasized this failure, highlighting a troubling increase in human rights violations since the coup.
On July 28, 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland suspended the 2010 Constitution while professing adherence to democratic principles and human rights as defined in international declarations. However, Amnesty International reports pervasive violations, asserting that arbitrary detentions have become normalized.
Since the coup, both Mohamed Bazoum and his wife have remained incarcerated, despite the ECOWAS Court of Justice’s ruling declaring their detention arbitrary. Bazoum faces severe charges without legal representation, while several former cabinet ministers are also held without just cause.
The military council has also impeded political party activities and reinstated punitive defamation laws. It has established a registry to track those purportedly involved in terrorism, which has been misused against dissenters. This environment has fostered a climate of fear, with many citizens, especially journalists, self-censoring.
Freedom of expression has come under relentless attack, evidenced by the suspension of the Press House, which represented 32 media organizations. Journalists, including critics of the regime, have faced arrests, with no prospects for fair judicial oversight. Some face charges of undermining national defense, which could lead to lengthy imprisonment.
In this oppressive landscape, figures such as Moussa Tchangari of Citizens’ Alternative Spaces are also unjustly detained, facing severe allegations without lawful recourse. As the transition period may extend significantly, Amnesty International stresses the importance of international human rights compliance, urging immediate action to release all arbitrarily detained individuals and uphold the fundamental freedoms of expression and assembly.
In summary, the Amnesty International report reveals significant human rights violations in Niger following the military coup. The military-led authorities have not upheld their commitments to respect civil liberties, leading to arbitrary detentions and broader suppression of dissent. With ongoing repression against critical voices, Amnesty calls for immediate adherence to international human rights obligations and the release of all unjustly incarcerated individuals.
Original Source: www.amnesty.org
