MOHAMED Bazoum, the former President of Niger who was ousted in a coup on July 26, has appealed to the court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to secure his freedom. Bazoum, who has been under house arrest with his wife and child since the coup, filed a lawsuit with the West African bloc’s court on September 18. His Senegalese lawyer, Seydou Diagne, has cited ‘arbitrary arrest’ and ‘violation of freedom of movement’ as grounds for the appeal.
Diagne stated, ‘We request… in view of the violation of political rights, that the State of Niger be ordered to immediately restore constitutional order by handing over power to President Bazoum, who must continue to exercise it until the end of his mandate.’
ECOWAS had previously imposed sanctions against Niger in response to the coup and has now issued a stern warning of possible military intervention if diplomatic efforts to reinstate Bazoum fail as a last resort. This situation adds to the growing regional instability, with Mali and Burkina Faso having also experienced recent overthrows. These three nations signed a mutual defence pact in September, forming the Alliance of Sahel States to bolster each other against potential threats of armed rebellion or external aggression.
In the event that the ECOWAS court rules in favour of Bazoum, Seydou Diagne stressed, ‘Niger has the legal obligation to execute the decision.’
Meanwhile, the leaders of the coup in Niger have announced their intention to prosecute the democratically elected Bazoum for ‘high treason and undermining internal and external security.’
The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its support for ECOWAS’s stance and has called for the ‘immediate and unconditional release’ of Bazoum and his family. EU foreign affairs spokesperson Nabila Massrali stated, ‘The EU position is clear and unchanged: The EU does not recognize authorities emanating from the putsch. President Bazoum remains the sole legitimate president of Niger.’
These developments occurred just a day after the EU ambassador to Niamey, Salvador Pinto da Franca, was summoned by Niger’s military-appointed Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, further emphasising the international concerns surrounding the situation in Niger.
