Lawyers representing Niger's deposed president, Mohamed Bazoum, have called for his immediate release three years after he was ousted and detained by the military following the July 2023 coup.

Bazoum, elected in 2021, along with his wife Hadiza, has been held in a wing of the presidential palace in Niamey since the coup. The international collective of lawyers alleges that Bazoum is being arbitrarily detained. West African lawyers and US human rights attorney Reed Brody stated, "They have never been brought before a magistrate and have not been informed of the existence of any proceedings against them."

Months after the coup, military leaders led by General Abdourahamane Tiani announced intentions to put Bazoum on trial, accusing him of treason and "plotting against the security and authority of the state." However, no formal case has been publicly opened to date.

The lawyers also report that Bazoum and his wife have had almost no contact with the outside world, including no family visits over the past three years.

International bodies such as the European Union, United Nations experts, and several global leaders have also called for Bazoum's release.

Sources