A court in Niamey, Niger, has dismissed a third appeal filed by prominent human rights advocate Moussa Tiangari, deepening concerns over the shrinking space for civil liberties in the West African nation. Tiangari, 55, serves as the secretary general of the civil society organization Citizens Alternative Spaces (AEC) and has been detained since December 2024 on politically charged accusations of conspiracy and plotting against the state, offenses that could carry the death penalty under Nigerien law.
Despite multiple appeals, Tiangari remains imprisoned without trial, highlighting a growing pattern of political repression under the country’s military junta, which seized power in a coup in July 2023. The junta has since targeted opposition figures, journalists, and civil society leaders in a sweeping crackdown widely condemned by international human rights groups.
Tiangari’s continued detention adds to the international outcry over Niger’s deteriorating human rights situation. Former President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife have also been held incommunicado in Niamey since the coup, sparking calls for their immediate release.
Observers say Tiangari’s case exemplifies the junta’s strategy of using the judiciary to silence dissent and intimidate civil society. With no trial date in sight and mounting international pressure, human rights organizations are urging ECOWAS and the African Union to take stronger diplomatic action to safeguard freedoms in Niger.
The ruling marks a significant blow to democratic institutions in the country, which has been facing increasing isolation from regional and Western partners due to the military regime’s authoritarian tactics.
Leave a comment