Son of overthrown Niger President Bazoum granted provisional release from house arrest News
Adamaou Fodi Salahadine, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Son of overthrown Niger President Bazoum granted provisional release from house arrest

Mohamed Bazoum Salem, son of the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, was granted provisional release from house arrest in Niamey by Niger’s military tribunal on Monday.

The 22-year-old was charged with conspiracy to undermine the authority or security of the state after a military coup on July 26, 2023. Salem’s release comes after six months of detention with his family. Former president Mohamed Bazoum and his family have been under house arrest since the July coup. After allegedly attempting to escape, Bazoum was detained and moved to an undisclosed location in an attempt to destabilize the country.

The military coup in Niger has faced international condemnation, particularly from the UN, expressing concerns about Bazoum’s safety. After years of power struggles and coups, Bazoum was the first democratically elected president in Niger in 2021. Following the events of July, Bazoum has refused to resign from his position despite being held captive by military authorities.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on Niger’s coup leaders, urging the reinstatement of Bazoum and indicating a preparedness to use force if necessary. On December 15, 2023, the ECOWAS Court of Justice ruled Bazoum’s detention arbitrary and unconstitutional, ordering his release within one month.

The military tribunal handling Salem’s case did not provide any details regarding the rest of the Bazoum family.

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