Eighteen months following the coup d’état on July 26, 2023, which ousted elected President Mohamed Bazoum, the CNSP military administration is intensifying its control over Niger. A recent investigation by Amnesty International, published on March 18, details a troubling landscape of forced arrests, unlawful detentions, media crackdowns, and the prohibition of political parties. The report, titled “Niger: Threatened and Silenced: Human Rights and Civic Space Under Pressure Since the July 26 Coup,” documents significant infringements on civil and political liberties between July 2023 and January 2025.
Critics of the regime and former government officials find themselves targeted by a military leadership that is shrinking civic space and deepening societal rifts. Although the CNSP originally justified its takeover by citing “deteriorating security” and “poor governance” while promising to uphold the rule of law, those commitments appear to have been abandoned.
The Sahel region has faced a wave of military takeovers, with coups in Mali (2020 and 2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and finally Niger in 2023. Under pressure from economic sanctions and potential military intervention by ECOWAS, these three nations formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023. They subsequently withdrew from the regional bloc and severed diplomatic ties with France and the European Union. Continuing this trend of strategic realignment, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali announced their departure from the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) on March 17, following the organization’s calls for the release of Mohamed Bazoum.
The collapse of the rule of law
Upon taking power, General Abdourahamane Tiani vowed to respect human rights and civil liberties in line with Niger’s international obligations. However, the reality eighteen months later is starkly different. Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s acting regional director for West and Central Africa, asserts that despite initial assurances, human rights have been disregarded in both law and practice. The legislative framework has seen a significant decline.
Immediately after the coup, the military suspended the 2010 Constitution and dismantled key institutions, including the National Human Rights Commission. New structures have yet to be established, allowing the CNSP to centralize all executive and legislative authority. The nation is currently governed by restrictive decrees.
One of the most contentious moves was the reinstatement of the 2019 cybercrime law in July 2024, which allows for the prosecution of citizens for defamation or sharing content deemed to disturb public order. This vague terminology is frequently used to target political opponents. Furthermore, an August 2024 decree expanded the definition of terrorist offenses, permitting the state to blacklist individuals. Those on this list face asset freezes and the potential loss of their nationality.
By October 2024, 21 individuals, including former ministers from the Bazoum administration, had already been affected. Hamid Ngadé, a former presidential communications advisor, expressed his fear of becoming stateless, noting that he sees no point in contesting the decision as the rule of law no longer exists in Niger. Ousmane Diallo, a Sahel researcher, warns that such measures strip citizens of their rights based solely on their political views.
In this repressive environment, political pluralism has withered. Political parties have remained suspended since the coup, removing any institutional checks on the military’s power.
A crackdown on civil society and independent media
The junta has steadily expanded its repressive tools, effectively silencing both activists and journalists. Under the guise of protecting sovereignty, the regime has fostered a culture of fear and widespread self-censorship. Intelligence services, specifically the DGSE, have been accused of involvement in forced disappearances and arbitrary arrests.
Moussa Tchangari, a prominent civil society leader, was violently detained at his home in December 2024. After being held incommunicado, he was charged with justifying terrorism and undermining state security, facing up to a decade in prison. The repression extends to anyone voicing dissent, with harassment occurring at workplaces and private residences.
The government is also driving a wedge through society by labeling supporters as “patriots” and critics as “stateless.” One NGO leader in Niamey described the current climate as a state of exception where people are terrified to organize any activity that might be perceived as critical. Consequently, the once-vibrant network of civil society organizations has become fragmented.
Media under intense surveillance
The CNSP has moved aggressively against press freedom. In early 2024, the House of the Press was suspended and replaced by a government-aligned committee. International broadcasters like RFI and France 24 were taken off the air shortly after the coup, followed by the BBC in late 2024.
Individual journalists are also under fire. Ousmane Toudou and Soumana Maïga were arrested in April 2024 over social media posts and brought before a military tribunal despite being civilians. While Maïga was granted provisional release, Toudou remains in custody. Blogger Samira Sabou was also a victim of a forced disappearance before being prosecuted under the cybercrime law.
This atmosphere has forced many into self-censorship. Sources are increasingly unwilling to speak openly, and journalists must scrutinize every word they publish. As one journalist told Amnesty International, there is no longer anyone left to protect the press. Ousmane Diallo emphasized that freedom of expression is fundamental to government accountability, warning that Niger is at a critical crossroads. Recent recommendations for a five-year transition period, which would allow current military leaders to run for office, suggest that the return to a traditional rule of law remains a distant prospect.
