Authorities in Niger are being urged to grant immediate freedom to former president Mohamed Bazoum, who remains in unlawful custody two years after a military coup removed him from office. Human Rights Watch highlighted the ongoing situation as a major violation of legal standards.
On July 26, 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), led by Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, seized control and arrested Mohamed Bazoum alongside his wife, Hadiza Bazoum. The couple is currently being held at the presidential residence in Niamey, the nation’s capital, where they are denied contact with their family and legal representatives. Following the junta’s decision to strip him of his presidential immunity in 2024, the former leader is now facing an upcoming trial.
“The military administration in Niger demonstrates a blatant disregard for the rule of law with every day it keeps Mohamed Bazoum and his wife imprisoned,” stated Ilaria Allegrozzi, a senior researcher specializing in the Sahel. “This politically motivated detention and the subsequent legal actions undermine any claims the junta makes about building a more democratic Niger.”
While the military government announced in August 2023 that it intended to prosecute Mohamed Bazoum for high treason and threatening national security, he has yet to be brought before a judge for any preliminary hearings.
In late 2023, Mohamed Bazoum challenged his detention at the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing human rights violations. The court subsequently ruled that his imprisonment was arbitrary and ordered his immediate release. However, in early 2025, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso officially terminated their membership in ECOWAS.
By April 2024, the authorities initiated legal steps to remove Mohamed Bazoum‘s immunity, aiming to prosecute him for alleged offenses during his time in office. In June, the State Court of Niger ruled against him in a process that observers say failed to meet international standards for fair trials. With his immunity gone, the junta confirmed its plan to try him for high treason, though no specific date has been announced.
In February 2025, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention also intervened, declaring the confinement of Mohamed Bazoum and his wife a breach of international human rights law and demanding their release.
“Mohamed Bazoum has been held in a cruel and illegal manner for two years without a formal trial or the ability to speak with his children or lawyers,” said Reed Brody, part of the legal team representing the former president. “Despite clear mandates from international courts and UN bodies, he remains a hostage of the military junta.”
The treatment of Mohamed Bazoum is indicative of a broader crackdown by the military regime on political opponents, peaceful protesters, and the media. Human Rights Watch noted that the junta appears focused on maintaining power while delaying the transition back to civilian rule and free elections.
“Each day Mohamed Bazoum remains in custody, Niger drifts further from the path of democracy,” Ilaria Allegrozzi concluded. “The leadership should consider the international signal sent by this two-year arbitrary detention.”
