The Military Announces Intention to Try President Mohamed Bazum
The military behind the coup in Niger announced on Sunday evening its intention to try President Mohamed Bazum on charges of “high treason” and “undermining the security” of the country.
Charges Against President Mohamed Bazum
In a statement read on national television, Colonel Major Amadou Abdel Rahman, a member of the country’s military council, said: “The Nigerian government has so far collected evidence to prosecute the ousted president and his local and foreign associates before the competent national and international bodies on charges of public treason and undermining the internal and external security of the Niger.”
The ruling military regime in Niger also denounced the “illegal, inhuman and degrading” ECOWAS sanctions, as they called it.
Worries About the President’s Health
More than two weeks after the coup that toppled the president, there are growing concerns about the conditions in which Bazum is being held.
Human Rights Watch has previously said that the treatment of Bazum and his family is “inhuman and cruel,” noting that he has been deprived of electricity since August 2 and has not been contacted for a week.
While the United States announced last week that it was “very concerned” about the health of the detained Niger president, after Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke to him by phone.
“We are deeply concerned about his health, his personal safety and the safety of his family,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
Niger’s army toppled former President Mohamed Bazum on July 26 in what was the seventh coup in West and Central Africa in three years, raising fears of more unrest in the impoverished region already fighting extremists.
While most Western countries, led by France and the US, denounced this coup, so did the Economic Community of West Africa, which hinted at all possibilities and options, including a military option, before later backing down and softening its tone even more.
On Thursday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ordered the activation of reserve forces that could potentially be used against Niger’s military junta, saying it wants to restore democracy.
You must log in to post a comment.