Niger: two years of arbitrary detention for former president Mohamed Bazoum

Human Rights Watch has called on the authorities in Niger to grant immediate freedom to former leader Mohamed Bazoum, who remains in unlawful custody two years after a military uprising removed him from power.

On July 26, 2023, members of the Niger military forming the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), under the leadership of Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, seized control and ousted the administration of Mohamed Bazoum. Both the former president and his spouse, Hadiza Bazoum, were taken into custody. The pair continues to be held at the presidential residence in the capital, Niamey, where they are denied contact with legal counsel or their relatives. Furthermore, Mohamed Bazoum is facing a potential trial following the junta’s decision to strip him of his presidential immunity in 2024.

“By continuing to hold former President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife, the military junta in Niger demonstrates a blatant disregard for the rule of law,” remarked Ilaria Allegrozzi, a senior Sahel researcher. “His prolonged detention and these politically charged legal actions undermine any claims the junta makes about building a more democratic Niger.”

In August 2023, the military leadership signaled its desire to try Mohamed Bazoum for “high treason” and for allegedly compromising the nation’s internal and external security. However, he has yet to be brought before a magistrate for any preliminary legal proceedings.

Seeking justice, Mohamed Bazoum filed a petition in September 2023 with the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing human rights violations during his captivity. By December of that year, the ECOWAS court ruled his detention was arbitrary and mandated his release. Subsequently, in January 2025, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso formally withdrew their membership from ECOWAS.

In April 2024, legal maneuvers were initiated by the authorities to revoke Mohamed Bazoum‘s presidential immunity, clearing the way for prosecutions related to his time in office. In June, the State Court of Niger ruled against him in a process that critics say failed to meet international requirements for a fair trial and due process. With his immunity gone, the junta intends to pursue treason charges, though a trial date remains unconfirmed.

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, an independent panel of experts, reviewed the case in February 2025. They concluded that the confinement of Mohamed Bazoum and Hadiza Bazoum was unlawful and violated international human rights standards, demanding their prompt release.

“Mohamed Bazoum has been subjected to a cruel and illegal two-year imprisonment without formal charges or a trial, isolated from his children, legal team, and supporters,” stated Reed Brody, a member of the legal collective representing the former president. “Despite explicit rulings from international courts and UN bodies calling for his freedom, he remains a hostage of the military junta.”

The treatment of Mohamed Bazoum is indicative of a broader trend under the military government, which has actively suppressed political rivals, peaceful protesters, and independent media. Human Rights Watch noted that the junta appears focused on maintaining its grip on power, often by delaying the promised return to civilian governance and the organization of transparent, free elections.

“Every day that Mohamed Bazoum remains behind bars, Niger drifts further from a democratic future,” Ilaria Allegrozzi added. “The leadership in Niger must consider the message this two-year detention sends to the international community and the surrounding region.”