France on Tuesday called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of Niger’s ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, almost a year after he was overthrown in a coup.
Bazoum has “been held prisoner for a year in scandalous conditions”, foreign ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said.
“We have always condemned this detention, we still strongly condemn it and continue to call for his immediate and unconditional release,” he told reporters in Paris.
France is concerned about a decision to lift Bazoum’s immunity from prosecution “which could have consequences for the conditions in which he is detained”, Lemoine added.
Lemoine added that, since Bazoum’s overthrow and Niger’s breaking defence ties with France, “the decisions taken by the junta have had disastrous effects, with a resurgence in terrorist acts.”
The ruling military accuses Bazoum of planning an “armed intervention” to support him against the coup in phone calls with French President Emmanuel Macron and US Secretary of state Antony Blinken.
Elected in 2021, Bazoum was overthrown on July 26 last year by the head of his presidential guard, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, but he still claims to be Niger’s rightful leader.
Peoplesmind