Military authorities in Niger have committed numerous human rights violations a year after seizing power in a coup, according to a report published Thursday by three international NGOs.
"The military authorities in Niger have cracked down on the opposition, media, and peaceful dissent since taking power in a coup one year ago," Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said in their joint report.
The groups called on the ruling authorities to "immediately release all those held on politically motivated charges; guarantee respect for fundamental freedoms, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, opinion, and association".
The military, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, seized power on 26 July last year, after deposing elected president Mohamed Bazoum over allegations of failing to protect the West African nation from jihadist attacks.
Bazoum, who remains under strict detention with his wife Hadiza in the capital Niamey, should also be released, said Samira Daoud, Amnesty's regional director for West and Central Africa.
On Friday, the military regime marks its first year in power holding festivities over several days.
Niger's military coup widely condemned following overthrow of President Bazoum
Arrests and restrictions
According to the rights groups, the military regime had "arbitrarily arrested at least 30 officials from the ousted government, including former ministers, members of the presidential cabinet and people close to the deposed president, failing to grant them due process and fair trial rights".
Among those arrested, some "were detained in secret by the intelligence services, before being transferred to high-security prisons on trumped-up charges", lawyers cited in the NGOs' statement said.
Meanwhile, "media freedom has been severely restricted in the country", with journalists being threatened and "arbitrarily" arrested, leading to self-censorship for fear of reprisals, the NGOs said.
“The long list of attacks on journalists over the past year demonstrates the authorities’ determination to restrict press freedom and the right of access to information,” said Drissa Traoré, secretary general of the FIDH.
In June, the new regime in place in Niger also reinstated prison sentences for cyber-crimes involving disseminating information that "may disturb public order", a measure "that could be used to silence any voice deemed to be dissenting", Traore added.
Military regimes have turned the Sahel into a 'black hole' of information
At the end of January, a decree also suspended the activities of the independent media group Maison de la Presse, while installing a new committee headed by the Interior Ministry to oversee the organisation.
“Public oversight of the military’s economic activities is not only critical for restoring civilian democratic rule and holding military officials accountable for abuses, but also for preventing the loss of public resources to corruption and mismanagement,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Sahel researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“The Niger authorities should commit to transparency and accountability by immediately disclosing verifiable financial information about military spending.”
(with AFP)
