Niger: Mohamed Bazoum's lawyers demand his immediate release after three years of detention
via SeneNews2 min read
Lawyers for former Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum are demanding his immediate release after three years of detention without charge or trial. Bazoum, who was overthrown in a coup three years ago, and his wife Hadiza are being held in an wing of the presidential residence in Niamey. The international collective of lawyers, including West African attorneys and American Reed Brody, stated that the couple has not been charged, tried, or informed of any legal proceedings against them. Their phones have been confiscated, and their only contact with the outside world is a weekly visit from their doctor and a bi-weekly phone call with their children. They have not received visits from their children or relatives in three years, and President Bazoum has only met with a lawyer once. In August 2024, Mrs. Bazoum refused release, choosing to remain with her husband. Mohamed Seydou Diagne, a Senegalese lawyer and coordinator for the collective, described Bazoum as a "political hostage" and a "human shield" for the coup leaders. The lawyers have exhausted all legal avenues, with international bodies like the UN having already deemed Bazoum's detention arbitrary and called for his release. The European Parliament also adopted a resolution earlier this year demanding his freedom. Bazoum's presidential immunity was lifted in 2024 by a court created by the Nigerien junta, which vowed to prosecute him for "high treason," a charge his lawyers say has never been formally notified to him. Nigeri
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Must ReadA 37-year-old volunteer, Ed Hunt, has received the first dose of an experimental vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, Oxford University announced. This vaccine, named ChAdOx1 BDBV, uses the same technology as the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The trial, launched by the Oxford University Vaccine Research Group, aims to assess the safety and efficacy of the candidate vaccine in humans. Health experts and organizations have mobilized to rapidly develop vaccines and treatments for the Bundibugyo virus, which caused an outbreak in May and for which no specific approved vaccine or treatment currently exists. David Pulido-Gomez of the Oxford Pandemic Sciences Institute noted the extraordinary collective effort to bring the candidate vaccine from conception to human trials in just eight weeks. The Serum Institute of India provided 4,000 experimental doses for this initial test, funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations CEPI, and has stockpiled 620,000 doses for potential future use. Other experimental Bundibugyo vaccines and two potential treatments are also under accelerated development. The Ebola outbreak has resulted in over 1,000 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, according to the World Health Organization.
Must ReadA South African court has temporarily halted impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa. The President is accused of concealing the theft of $580,000 in cash from his Phala Phala farm in 2020. Ramaphosa had requested the Western Cape High Court to suspend the work of an impeachment committee until a parliamentary report from November 2022, which concluded he "could have committed" unlawful acts, is reviewed. Judge André le Grange stated that the adverse parties are prohibited from continuing the public hearing process for impeachment until the court rules on the applicant's appeal. Ramaphosa has denied any wrongdoing and ruled out resignation, stating the money came from the sale of 20 buffaloes. He claims to have informed presidential protection services about the theft. The complaint against him was filed by a former intelligence chief who alleged Ramaphosa concealed the theft of $4 million from police and tax authorities. Following the court's decision, Ramaphosa reaffirmed his respect for judicial independence and the separation of powers. The court will examine Ramaphosa's request to invalidate the 2022 report in September. If initiated, this would be the first impeachment proceeding against a sitting South African president.
Must ReadColonel-Major Kassoum Goïta, former director of State Security in Mali, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Bamako Assize Court. He was found guilty of criminal association and conspiracy against the government following a ten-day trial. Colonel-Major Goïta was accused of participating in a plot to attempt a coup d'état and destabilize institutions. During the trial, he denied the charges and accused the ruling junta of corruption and having him tortured. Goïta was appointed intelligence chief after the 2020 overthrow of elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, an event in which the current head of the junta, General Assimi Goïta, participated. The article clarifies that the two men are not related. Following a second coup in 2021, led by Assimi Goïta, a "purge" occurred during which Kassoum Goïta and others were arrested, according to their lawyers at the time. Six individuals were prosecuted in total, all denying the charges, and received sentences ranging from 7 to 15 years in prison. Defense lawyers stated they were not surprised by the verdict and plan to exhaust all national legal procedures before pursuing other avenues. The accused were also ordered to pay a symbolic franc in damages.