Niger Coup Leader Still Detained as Presidential Term Ends

The official presidential term of Niger’s ousted leader, Mohamed Bazoum, ends on Thursday, but he remains in detention with no sign of release or trial.

Bazoum, 66, was sworn in on April 2, 2021, after winning democratic elections with 55 percent of the vote. He has been held since the coup of July 26, 2023, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, in a wing of the presidential palace in Niamey, where he is detained with his wife.

Bazoum has refused to resign since his overthrow. His lawyers argue that his mandate should not be considered finished, since he has been unable to exercise his duties for nearly three years. “His mandate was interrupted and never resumed. If Mr. Bazoum were to return to power tomorrow, the period of his detention should not be counted as part of his time in office,” said Moussa Coulibaly, a member of his legal team.

However, political scientist Valery Ntwali explained that under Nigerien law, Bazoum has lost his legal standing because the Constitution under which he was elected was suspended. The junta replaced it last March with a charter that allows them to remain in power for five years, renewable. No elections have been held since the coup, leaving uncertainty about which legal framework applies, the junta’s charter or the pre coup Constitution.

The junta, like those in Burkina Faso and Mali, has made sovereignty its guiding principle and adopted a hostile stance toward some Western nations. Yet Niger is not fully isolated. It has resumed contact with the United States on security cooperation, two years after forcing American troops to leave, and has drawn closer to Russia. Relations remain tense with France, which quickly called for Bazoum’s release, and with the European Union. Earlier this month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution demanding Bazoum’s immediate release, sparking anger among Sahelian juntas and protests in Niamey and Ouagadougou.

“This is a failure of the international community. I do not understand how we have not managed to secure the release of this democratically elected president,” said French MEP Christophe Gomart, who initiated the resolution. He added that the EU should have applied more pressure, given its financial influence in Africa.

The European Union continues to fund development programs and anti jihadist efforts in Niger, where violent attacks have plagued the Sahel for years. Bazoum’s presidential immunity was lifted in 2024, but his lawyers say the end of his term is unlikely to speed up a trial. “For the junta, this is less a legal issue than a security one. What matters to them is that President Bazoum serves as a human shield,” said lawyer Mohamed Seydou Diagne. After nearly three years, Bazoum remains detained under harsh conditions, without windows or doors, and with visits limited to his doctor, according to his legal team.