Niger: New Charges Against Human Rights Defender

On 26 July 2023, President Mohamed Bazoum was removed from power following a palace coup engineered by his Presidential Guard. Military officers behind the coup announced the establishment of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) on 26 July 2023 through a declaration on national TV which justified the takeover on the “continued worsening of the security situation and to the poor economic and social governance” of the deposed regime. On 28 July 2023, the head of the presidential guard, Abdourahamane Tiani, declared himself president of the country.

Since the 2023 military coup, instead of a path toward respecting human rights and the rule of law, the military authorities are tightening their grip on opposition, civil society, and independent media. Human rights including the right to freedom of expression, has been severely restricted in Niger. The authorities have threatened, harassed, and arbitrarily arrested human rights defenders, activists and journalists; many of whom – like Moussa Tchangari - say they are self-censoring amid fear of reprisals.

Since the 1990s, Moussa Tchangari has been working to advance human rights and the rule of law in Niger. He had been detained for his human rights work in the past, on different occasions, such as in May 2015 and in 2018. Days before his arbitrary arrest on 3 December 2024, he had told a colleague that he was worried, carefully weighing his words and actions to be able to continue defending human rights, despite the constant risk of arrest. He also expressed concerns about the risk of arbitrary arrest and detention looming over many Nigeriens, especially those publicly criticizing the military authorities, including himself.

Following his detention and charges against him, Moussa Tchangari fears that other activists from the Nigerien civil society might face the same situation that he is facing. He is also concerned that civil society organization ‘Citizens’ Alternative Spaces’ (Alternatives Espaces Citoyens, AEC), for which he is the secretary general of, might be shut down by the Niger authorities to prevent them doing their human rights work.

The charges against Moussa Tchangari, including advocating terrorism and criminal association in connection with terrorism, fall into the broad list of offenses that could lead to citizens being deprived of their citizenship even prior to conviction, according to the August 2024 order establishing the terrorism database.