Niger: former president remains in arbitrary detention after two years

Human Rights Watch has urged authorities in Niger to immediately release former President Mohamed Bazoum, who continues to be held in arbitrary detention two years after a military coup removed him from power.

On July 26, 2023, military officers belonging to the self-styled National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), under the leadership of Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, overthrew the administration of Mohamed Bazoum. The former leader and his wife, Hadiza Bazoum, were taken into custody and remain confined within the presidential palace in Niamey. They have been denied contact with their families and legal representatives. Following the junta’s decision to strip him of presidential immunity in 2024, Mohamed Bazoum is now facing the prospect of a trial.

“The military junta in Niger demonstrates a blatant disregard for the rule of law every day that it keeps former President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife imprisoned,” stated Ilaria Allegrozzi, a senior Sahel researcher at Human Rights Watch. “His continued detention and the politically motivated legal actions against him undermine any claims by the junta of leading Niger toward a more democratic future.”

While the junta announced in August 2023 its intention to prosecute Mohamed Bazoum for “high treason” and “undermining internal and external state security,” he has yet to be brought before a judge for any preliminary hearings.

In September, Mohamed Bazoum sought relief from the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing human rights violations during his captivity. By December, the ECOWAS court ruled that his detention was arbitrary and ordered his immediate release. However, the regional political landscape changed in January 2025 when Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso officially withdrew from the ECOWAS bloc.

In April 2024, legal steps were taken by the authorities to revoke Mohamed Bazoum‘s presidential immunity, clearing the way for prosecution. By June, Niger‘s State Court ruled against him in a process that failed to adhere to international standards for due process. With his immunity removed, the junta reiterated its plan to try him for high treason, though no date has been set for the proceedings.

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, an independent body of experts, also weighed in during February 2025. They determined that the imprisonment of Mohamed Bazoum and his wife violated international human rights law and called for their prompt liberation.

“Mohamed Bazoum has been subjected to a cruel and illegal two-year confinement without charges or a trial, isolated from his children, supporters, and lawyers,” said Reed Brody, a member of the legal team representing the former president. “Despite clear mandates from international courts and UN bodies for his release, Mohamed Bazoum remains a hostage of the military junta.”

The mistreatment of Mohamed Bazoum is part of a wider trend of repression by the military government, which has targeted political opposition, peaceful dissent, and the media. Human Rights Watch noted that these actions appear designed to consolidate power while stalling the transition to civilian rule and the organization of fair elections.

“Each day Mohamed Bazoum remains in custody takes Niger further away from the path of democracy,” Ilaria Allegrozzi concluded. “The authorities in Niger should reconsider the message that this two-year arbitrary detention sends to the rest of the world and the region.”