Article: “Nigerian President Mohamed Bazoum still held by the putschists: concerns about his health and his conditions of detention”
Since the coup d’état which overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum in Niger on July 26, information on his state of health and his conditions of detention has been patchy. However, the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) gave some reassuring news about its president. According to the party’s deputy secretary general, Boubacar Sabo, Mohamed Bazoum is doing well despite the difficult conditions in which he is being held by the putschists of the Presidential Guard. However, concerns remain about his conditions of detention and the situation of his relatives and allies who were also arrested.
The deputy secretary general of the PNDS said that the President of the Republic is doing well, despite the intentional power cut to his residence by the hostage-takers. He stressed that this cut will not dampen the morale of the president, who remains determined. However, Boubacar Sabo was alarmed by the conditions of detention of Mohamed Bazoum and all the arrested personalities, describing them as “prisoners” and “sequestered”.
Concern about the situation of the Nigerien president goes beyond borders. The head of European Union diplomacy, Josep Borrell, expressed his concern and called for the immediate release of Mohamed Bazoum. In a message on Twitter, he stressed that the conditions of the president’s detention were becoming increasingly worrying and asserted that the European Union defends fundamental democratic values and the constitutional order.
US President Joe Biden also expressed his wish to see Mohamed Bazoum released. He stressed that the partnership between the United States and Niger depends on respect for democratic values and the right to peacefully assemble.
France also reaffirmed its support for Mohamed Bazoum as president elected and recognized by the international community. The Quai d’Orsay denounced the context of authoritarian repression in Niger and called for the release of the legitimate president.
In conclusion, the situation of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum held by the coup plotters of the Presidential Guard raises serious concerns. If the PNDS wants to be reassuring about his health, it is important to continue to monitor this case closely and to call for his immediate and unconditional release, in order to preserve democracy and fundamental rights in Niger.