Human rights crisis in Niger after 2023 coup amid islamist threats

Niger’s descent into authoritarian rule and escalating violence

Since the military takeover in July 2023, Niger has witnessed a dramatic deterioration in its human rights landscape. The ruling junta has systematically targeted political opponents, dissidents, union leaders, and journalists through arbitrary detentions and suppression of dissent. Among those held without legal recourse are former President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife, alongside deposed government officials, journalists, and human rights activists.

Military’s controversial response to islamist insurgency

The Nigerien government continues to face relentless attacks from multiple islamist armed groups, including the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS), the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimeen (JNIM) linked to Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA). These groups operate primarily in the western regions of Tillabéri and along borders shared with Mali and Burkina Faso, where clashes have intensified, placing civilians in increasingly dangerous situations.

In August 2025, the junta launched Garkuwar Kassa—a civilian militia program translating to “Shields of the Homeland” in Hausa—aimed at recruiting and training locals to support the armed forces. While intended to bolster security, the initiative has sparked widespread concerns that unregulated militias could lead to new cycles of abuse and lawlessness.

Junta consolidates power, undermines democracy

Without holding elections, junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani was sworn in as transitional president in March 2025, extending his grip on power and delaying any return to democratic governance. The regime further eroded democratic norms in March by signing a decree abolishing multi-party politics across the country, effectively silencing political opposition.

In January 2025, Niger withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), aligning with Burkina Faso and Mali. This withdrawal limits citizens’ access to justice, particularly through the ECOWAS Court of Justice. By September 2025, the three nations announced their intention to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move that threatens to deny victims of atrocities access to international justice.

Islamist violence targets civilians in Tillabéri

The islamist insurgency that began in northern Mali in 2012 and spread to Niger and Burkina Faso by 2015 has left a decade-long trail of violence and human rights violations across the region. In 2025, the Islamic State in the Sahel escalated attacks in Niger’s Tillabéri region—bordering Burkina Faso and Mali—systematically targeting civilians.

On March 21, ISIS militants stormed a mosque in Fambita during afternoon prayers, killing at least 46 worshippers, including three children. They looted livestock and homes, and set fire to over 20 houses and multiple market stalls. Similar attacks unfolded across the region:

• May 13: Five men and two boys were killed in Dani Fari. At least 12 homes were burned, and dozens more were looted.
• June 21: Over 70 worshippers—including five children—were killed in a dawn attack on Manda mosque. Homes were looted and at least 10 were set ablaze.
• June 20: The village elder of Abarkaize, aged 67, was executed. Three days later, five men were abducted; their bodies, with slit throats, were found nearby.
• June 23: At least six civilians were killed in Ezzak, and homes were looted.

Before each attack, ISIS fighters issued threats accusing villagers of collaborating with the Nigerien military or failing to comply with demands such as paying zakat—an Islamic tax. Survivors report that military forces did not respond adequately to advance warnings, often ignoring local requests for protection.

Suppression of political dissent and civil society

Former President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife have been held incommunicado in Niamey’s presidential palace since their arrest. Despite a 2024 UN Working Group ruling that their detention is arbitrary and demanding their immediate release, the junta continues to hold them without fair trial or due process. Bazoum’s presidential immunity was revoked irregularly, violating legal standards.

The regime has arbitrarily arrested dozens of former government officials, military officers, and Bazoum allies, denying them fair trials. While some detainees were released in April 2025, many remain imprisoned on politically motivated grounds—including prominent human rights defender Moussa Tiangari.

Tiangari was arrested in Niamey in December 2024 and held incommunicado for two days before being located at the Central Service for Combating Terrorism and Transnational Crime. In January 2025, he was charged with forming a criminal association with a terrorist enterprise and conspiring against state authority in collusion with foreign powers—a charge that carries the death penalty if proven. He remains in pretrial detention without a court appearance. On July 4, an appeals court rejected a motion to dismiss the case, which observers describe as politically motivated.

Crackdown on press freedom and independent voices

Since the 2023 coup, press freedom in Niger has faced severe restrictions. Journalists have been harassed, threatened, and arbitrarily detained. Fearing reprisals, many have resorted to self-censorship to avoid arrest.

In January 2025, the Minister of Communication suspended private television channel Canal 3 TV for 30 days after its editor-in-chief criticized government ministers. The editor’s press card was also revoked, though the suspension was later lifted. In February, the military government ordered the International Committee of the Red Cross to leave the country without explanation.

On May 8, security forces arrested three journalists from Sahara FM in Agadez, accusing them of reporting on alleged security cooperation changes between Niger, Russia, and Turkey. Despite a judge ordering their release the next day, they were re-arrested and remain in detention.

Judicial independence under attack

In August 2025, the Interior Minister signed decrees dissolving four judicial unions, citing interference with state authority. The Minister of Justice accused the unions of prioritizing personal interests over their roles. The move was widely condemned by labor groups and the Niger Bar Association, which called it a grave violation of fundamental rights and freedoms. Lawyers responded with a two-day general strike to protest the dissolution and demand its reversal.