NIAMEY, July 28 (NNN-GNA) — Niger’s former president, Mohamed Bazoum, remains imprisoned in the presidential palace, two years after he was deposed in a military coup.
The 65-year-old and his wife Hadiza, have no contact with their lawyers, family or supporters, the organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.
The military seized power in the West African desert state on July 23, 2023.
The leader of the coup was the head of Bazoum’s presidential guard, General Abdourahmane Tchiani. Tchiani has now been declared president without elections until at least 2030.
Bazoum and his wife were imprisoned in their residence on the day of the coup and have not been allowed to leave since. Their movements were restricted to a few rooms after they allegedly attempted an escape. Their mobile devices were also confiscated.
According to Bazoum’s lawyers, their only contact with the outside world is regular visits from a doctor.
The military government accuses Bazoum of high treason. However, no trial has taken place so far.
“Despite clear rulings by international courts and UN bodies calling for his release, he remains a hostage of a military junta,” one of his lawyers said, according to HRW.
Bazoum spends his days training on an indoor bicycle and reading Marxist theory, Shakespeare and Tolstoy, the New York Times reported last year.
His son, who was also initially detained, was allowed to leave the country in 2024 after mediation by Togo.
Bazoum, who was democratically elected president in 2021, had very good relations with European countries and the United States, for whom Niger was an important partner in the fight against terrorist groups in the region and migration to Europe. — NNN-GNA
