Concern grows for Niger's president, detained by junta for over two weeks

The African Union, European Union and United Nations expressed concern on Friday over the detention of Niger's elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted by members of his military guard on 26 July. He has been held at the presidential palace ever since, where he is reportedly cut off from basic supplies and health care.

A woman holds the image of ousted Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held by coup plotters since late July, during a protest outside the Nigerien embassy in Paris on August 5, 2023. © STEFANO RELLANDINI / AFP

Reports point to "a worrying deterioration" in the conditions of Bazoum's detention, the AU warned.

"Such treatment of a democratically elected president through a regular electoral process is unacceptable," said a statement from the chair of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat.

Communiqué of the Chairperson of the AU Commission @AUC_MoussaFaki in support of the 10 August 2023 #ECOWAS decisions regarding #Nigerhttps://t.co/XlebbBiLVa pic.twitter.com/3CxMBMn2q5

— African Union (@_AfricanUnion) August 11, 2023

The EU also called for Bazoum to be released immediately and unconditionally.

"Bazoum and his family, according to the latest information, have been deprived of food, electricity and medical care for several days," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted.

'Inhuman and cruel'

Human Rights Watch said that it had spoken to Bazoum this week, who reported that his 20-year-old son was sick with a serious heart condition and has been refused access to a doctor.

The president said he has not had electricity for nearly 10 tdays and is not allowed to see family, friends or bring supplies into the residence.

Bazoum, 63, described the treatment as inhuman and cruel, HRW said.

President of Niger Mohamed Bazoum, in an interview with RFI and France 24 on 22 September 2022. © RFI/France 24

The coup leaders are seeking to pressure Bazoum into signing a resignation letter, his daughter Zazia Bazoum, who is in France, told The Guardian newspaper.

She said the family has limited food to eat without a refrigerator and each of them has lost weight.

"This is torture, they make life very difficult for them," she said.

The UN's human rights chief, Volker Turk, said in a statement that the conditions in which Bazoum is being held with his wife and son could amount to inhuman and degrading treatment, in violation of international human rights law.

Threatened with death

Sources told RFI that the junta has threatened to execute Bazoum if the Western African bloc Ecowas attempts to reverse the coup by force.

The threat was also relayed to a US diplomat who visited Niger earlier this week, the Associated Press reported.

• West African leaders prepare standby force for Niger as 'last resort'
• Niger coup leaders say country not safe for West African mediators

Ecowas is gathering a standby force from neighbouring countries in readiness for a possible military intervention in Niger, which it says would be a last resort. 

The bloc gave the order to activate the force after emergency talks on Thursday. It is expected to hold another summit on Saturday to discuss further details.