Human Rights Under Threat: Niger's Troubling Situation

 

Nigerien authorities have adopted measures that jeopardise the fundamental principles of human rights following the military coup on July 26, 2023. Concerns about the suppression of free speech and the arbitrary detention of public servants have been raised by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. many members of the deposed administration have been detained since the coup, including the former ministers of petroleum, home affairs, defence, and finance. These arrests have taken place without following the proper legal procedures.

Both domestic and foreign journalists have experienced rising demands, intimidation, and sometimes violence. There has been an indefinite suspense of media outlets, including Radio France Internationale and France 24. International responses to the issue have included the ending of borders, penalties by the Economic Community of West African States( ECOWAS), and expatriation from the African Union.

A further obstacle to the UN’s involvement has been the resident coordinator’s request to depart the nation.

Though their words on the ground belie a different story, Niger’s military chiefs pledged to respect human rights and the rule of law. Niger is at a turning point in its history, when preservation of the basic values of freedom, dissent, and media independence is necessary to protect the rights of all its residents, even as calls for a return to constitutional order continue.