Coup d’état in Niger: military regime intensifies repression against dissent

Eighteen months after the takeover: a tightening grip on power

Since the military coup on 26 July 2023 that ousted democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) has systematically expanded its control over Niger. Forced detentions, extrajudicial arrests, media gag orders, and the suspension of political parties—these are not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate strategy documented in Amnesty International’s latest report, published in March 2025.

The report, titled Niger: Threatened and Silenced – Civil and Political Rights under Pressure Since the July 2023 Coup, highlights severe violations of civil liberties between July 2023 and January 2025. Critics, former government officials, and civil society leaders face intimidation, arbitrary detention, and legal persecution. What was once justified as a sovereign response to insecurity and poor governance has devolved into a campaign to dismantle democratic institutions and silence opposition.

From regional alliance to international isolation

The coup in Niger followed similar events in Mali (2020 and 2021) and Burkina Faso (January and September 2022). Facing economic sanctions and the threat of military intervention by ECOWAS, the three juntas forged the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023. They subsequently withdrew from ECOWAS and severed ties with France and the European Union, shifting toward a policy of strategic realignment.

Consistent with this break, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali announced on 17 March 2025 their withdrawal from the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), which, like ECOWAS, had demanded the release of President Bazoum.

Erosion of the rule of law: a broken promise

General Abdourahamane Tiani, who seized power, had pledged to uphold human rights and civil liberties in line with international commitments. Eighteen months later, that pledge lies in tatters. Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s interim West and Central Africa Director, states: “Despite public assurances, authorities have systematically violated human rights through both legislation and practice. The legal framework has been rolled back, and the state’s obligations ignored.”

Within days of the coup, the 2010 Constitution and key institutions—including the National Human Rights Commission—were suspended. Proposed replacements have yet to materialize, allowing the CNSP to consolidate executive and legislative authority through restrictive decrees.

Legal tools of repression

One stark example is the reinstatement of the 2019 Cybercrime Law in July 2024. Its vague wording criminalizes defamation, insult, and dissemination of content deemed “disturbing to public order,” enabling authorities to target dissent. Even more alarming is an August 2024 decree broadening the definition of terrorism and authorizing the blacklisting of individuals and groups. Those listed face asset freezes and the risk of nationality revocation.

By October 2024, 21 individuals—including former ministers in Bazoum’s government—had been stripped of their nationality. Hamid Ngadé, former communications advisor to the presidency, testified: “I only have Nigerien nationality. This provisional revocation could make me stateless. I won’t contest it—there is no longer any rule of law in Niger.”

Ousmane Diallo, Sahel researcher at Amnesty International, condemned the decree: “It weaponizes nationality as a political tool, depriving citizens of their rights based solely on dissenting views.”

Political pluralism has all but vanished. Since the coup, all parties have been suspended, eliminating institutional checks and balances.

Civil society and media: living under a state of fear

The military junta has intensified repression against civil society and independent journalism, cloaking its actions in rhetoric of sovereignty and public order. The General Directorate of State Security (DGSE) has been implicated in forced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and prolonged detentions, despite official denials.

Moussa Tchangari, a prominent civil society leader, was violently arrested at his home on 3 December 2024 and held incommunicado. He faces charges of terrorism propaganda, endangering state security, and criminal association, with a potential sentence of up to ten years. Arrests at workplaces, home raids, and constant harassment have become routine for anyone critical of the regime.

The junta has fomented deep societal divisions, labeling critics as “stateless traitors.” A Niamey-based civil society leader shared: “We are living under a state of exception. People are afraid to speak or organize activities seen as critical of the authorities.” Once vibrant platforms for civic engagement are now fractured by fear and division.

Press freedom under siege: silence enforced at gunpoint

After restricting freedom of expression, the CNSP has moved to control the media. The Press House was suspended in January 2024 and replaced by a government-aligned interim committee. Surveillance of journalists has intensified, and international broadcasters such as RFI and France 24 were suspended in August 2023, followed by the BBC in December 2024.

Journalists face arbitrary arrests and military tribunals. Ousmane Toudou, former advisor to President Bazoum, and Soumana Maïga, publisher of a daily newspaper, were detained in April 2024 over social media posts. Maïga was released on bail, while Toudou remains imprisoned. Blogger and activist Samira Sabou was forcibly disappeared before being prosecuted under the 2019 Cybercrime Law.

Under such pressure, self-censorship has become the norm. Journalists now weigh every word. One told Amnesty International: “Now, when you write, you have to think twice. There’s no one left to defend the press.”

Ousmane Diallo warns: “Freedom of expression, dissent, and press freedom are foundational to accountability and the enjoyment of other rights. Niger stands at a pivotal moment—but one that threatens to extinguish its democratic future.”

In late February 2025, national consultations recommended a five-year renewable transition period that would allow current leaders to run in future elections. This outcome cements the military’s hold on power and further distances Niger from a return to constitutional governance.