“Necessary Evidence Gathered”
Putschists want to charge Bazoum with high treason
8/14/2023 5:49 am
Niger’s President-elect Bazoum has been under house arrest with his family for the weeks since the coup. The military junta now announces that they will prosecute him for high treason. His “foreign accomplices” should also be held accountable.
Those responsible for the coup d’état in West African Niger want to hold the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum accountable for high treason. As of today, the country’s government has collected the necessary evidence “to prosecute the ousted president before competent national and international authorities,” said Colonel Amadou Abdramane in a statement read on national television.
Bazoum and “his local and foreign accomplices” would face charges of “treason and endangering Niger’s internal and external security,” it said. The allegations were based on the President’s “exchanges” with national officials, “foreign heads of state” and “responsible international organizations”. The military overthrew the democratically elected president in the Sahel state at the end of July and took power. Bazoum has since been held at the presidential residence with his wife and son.
Everyone should ask themselves whether Bazoum can be taken seriously if he describes himself as a kidnapping victim, the military said. Bazoum still has all means of communication and can regularly see a doctor. He said he found no health problems either with the President or with his relatives. Bazoum has told various media outlets that he is being held “hostage”, his electricity has been cut off and he is being forced to eat only rice and noodles.
In their statement, the military described the sanctions imposed by the West African group of states ECOWAS on July 30 as “illegal, inhuman and humiliating”. With its sanctions, ECOWAS suspended financial transactions and trade relations with Niger, among other things. She also called on those responsible for the coup to reinstate the president; military intervention was threatened as the “last option”. However, an ultimatum set by ECOWAS passed without consequences.