The coup plotters in Niger recently announced their intention to prosecute ousted President Mohamed Bazoum for high treason and undermining the security of the country. This new development comes as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) threatens to intervene militarily to restore constitutional order. In a statement broadcast on national television, the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Fatherland (CNSP), the body in power in Niger, claimed to have evidence of exchanges between Bazoum and nationals, foreign heads of state and officials. of international organizations.
Although the details of these exchanges were not disclosed, it is clear that Bazoum had telephone contact with members of his government in exile and foreign officials in the context of a possible intervention by ECOWAS. The ruling junta will now have to clarify the implications of these accusations. According to the Nigerien Penal Code, Nigerien citizens guilty of treason face the death penalty. As the ousted but not resigned president, Bazoum could be prosecuted for high treason under the Constitution, which could lead to his removal from office.
However, according to an expert on Nigerien law, it seems that the junta maintains the vagueness surrounding these accusations to put pressure on the international community and on Bazoum himself, who still refuses to resign. A legal debate could therefore emerge to determine the validity of these accusations.
The Mohamed Bazoum case illustrates the political tensions and instability that have characterized the situation in Niger since the coup. The international community continues to follow events closely and to be concerned about respect for the constitutional order and human rights in the country. It remains to be seen how this affair will develop and whether it will have any consequences for relations between Niger and the international community