Press freedom under threat in Niger as journalists face arrests and intimidation
Press freedom in Niger is facing severe threats as transitional authorities escalate intimidation tactics and arbitrary arrests against journalists covering the country’s conflict and security concerns, warns Amnesty International.
Since the 2023 coup d’état, led by presidential guard commander Abdourahamane Tchiani, which ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and established the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP) to oversee the transition, journalists have increasingly practiced self-censorship due to fears of harassment, retaliation, or detention.
«The blatant disregard for freedom of expression and press freedom, as well as the work of journalists, comes at a critical time when the public urgently needs accurate information about the conflict and the transitional authorities’ response,» said Samira Daoud, Regional Director for West and Central Africa at Amnesty International. «We call on Nigerien authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all journalists detained for exercising their right to free expression or reporting on matters of public interest. They must also ensure journalists can work without fear of harassment, intimidation, arrest, or detention.»
The crackdown escalated on April 24, 2024, when Soumana Maiga, editor-in-chief of L’Enquêteur, was arrested following his newspaper’s investigation into alleged Russian espionage equipment installed on government buildings. He faces charges of «undermining national defense» and could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The transitional authorities must fulfill their legal obligations to respect, protect, promote, and uphold the human rights of all people in Niger.
Samira Daoud, Regional Director for West and Central Africa at Amnesty International
Days earlier, on April 13, 2024, Ousmane Toudou—a journalist and former communications advisor to the deposed president—was arrested for a social media post from July 2023 calling on democrats to oppose the military takeover. Since his detention by security forces, Toudou has not been brought before a judge within the legally mandated four-day detention period, and he is set to be tried by a military tribunal despite international law prohibiting military courts from handling non-military cases.
Journalists forced into self-censorship amid growing repression
Tchima Illa Issoufou, a BBC Hausa correspondent covering the Tillabéri region—a hotspot for conflict in western Niger—has faced threats and accusations of «destabilizing the nation» for reporting on security conditions. She is now in hiding, having fled Niger after being targeted by both security forces and pro-regime supporters online, who labeled her as under «foreign influence.» Her reporting also led to the arrest of civil society figure Ali Tera, interviewed in the segment, who was detained on April 26, 2024, and held in Niamey’s civil prison as of April 29.
«The environment for journalism in Niger has become extremely hostile. The new authorities are actively undermining press freedom, forcing many of us—myself included—to second-guess every word we write to stay safe,» a Nigerien media director told Amnesty International on condition of anonymity.
In January 2024, the Maison de la Presse—a union representing private and public media outlets—was suspended by transitional authorities and replaced with an ad hoc committee led by the Interior Ministry’s secretary-general, further tightening control over press operations.
«The rights to freedom of expression, information, and press freedom are enshrined in both national legislation and international human rights treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Niger is a signatory,» Daoud emphasized. «The transitional authorities must urgently uphold their legal obligations to fully respect and protect these fundamental rights.»
