Ousted Nigerian President Mohamed Bazoum has begun legal action in West Africa to secure his release and the restoration of constitutional order in the country after he was ousted in a coup on July 26, his Senegalese lawyer said on Wednesday, September 20 , in AFP with. Seydou Diagne.
“We demand (…) in view of the violation of political rights, that the State of Niger be condemned to the immediate restoration of constitutional order by handing over power to President Bazoum, who must continue to exercise it until the end of the year.” His term of office ends on April 2, 2026,” he said.
The petition, filed on September 18 at the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), alleges the “arbitrary arrest” and “violation of the freedom to come and go” of President Mohamed Bazoum, his wife Haziza and his son Salem, who has been held with him in the presidential palace since the July 26 coup.
“A fight according to the law”
According to Maître Diagne, his “clients are victims of serious and intolerable human rights violations. You have the right to refer the matter to the relevant courts. This cannot make their situation worse, it is a reason to hope that justice will be done for them.” In the event of a positive decision, “the state of Niger is legally obliged to implement the decision,” he assured. “What we are interested in is to obtain a condemnation of the state of Niger through a court decision. Mr. Bazoum’s fight is a fight through the law,” he stressed.
Master Seydou Diagne reiterated that “General Tiani does not have the authority to make arrests under Nigerian law. He has been appointed by decree since 2011 to ensure the security of the president.”
The organization’s Court of Justice is the main jurisdiction of ECOWAS and consists of five judges selected from nationals of member states.
In mid-August, the perpetrators of the coup announced that they wanted to “prosecute” Mohamed Bazoum for “high treason” and “endangering the security” of the country.
Bazoum and ECOWAS supported
Since July 30, ECOWAS has been threatening the coup plotters with military intervention to restore constitutional order. It had announced that the day and modalities of the operation had been set, but gave priority to the diplomatic route, but is now relatively silent, despite being supported by several Western countries.
The European Union (EU) on Wednesday reiterated its “support for the position of ECOWAS”, reiterated “the immediate and unconditional release of President Bazoum and his family” and “does not recognize the authorities of the coup”, said Nabila Massrali, spokesman the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, told AFP.
The statement was announced the day after the EU ambassador to Niamey, Salvador Pinto da França, was summoned by Niger’s military-appointed prime minister, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine.
ECOWAS is also supported by France, which is in a standoff with the military regime. At the beginning of August, Paris suspended the issuance of visas for entry into its territory in Niamey – also in Ouagadougou (Burkina) and Bamako (Mali).
Paris also rejects the return to France of its ambassador in Niamey, Sylvain Itté, who, according to Emmanuel Macron, was “taken hostage” and whose expulsion was ordered by the generals in power at the end of August. France has around 1,500 soldiers in Niger whose future is uncertain.
The military regime, which is planning a transition that will last a maximum of three years, is looking for allies. He particularly addresses the neighboring countries of Mali and Burkina Faso, also led by soldiers who came to power in a coup, with whom he began defense cooperation on Saturday with the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
With AFP