Junta leaders in Niger announce treason trial of ousted President Bazoum

Niger’s rebel soldiers said they would prosecute ousted President Mohamed Bazoum for “high treason” and endangering the country’s security. His statement came hours after the junta said it was open to talks with West African countries to resolve the growing regional crisis. According to Niger’s penal code, Bajoum could face the death penalty if convicted. Spokesman Colonel Major Amadou Abdurrahman said in an announcement made on state television late Sunday that the military regime had imposed “high treason and threats to the internal and external security of Niger against the ousted president and his local and foreign allies, and the competent president and Have collected the necessary evidence for prosecution before international authorities.

The declaration said high-ranking West African politicians and “their international masters” have made false accusations and attempted to derail a peaceful resolution to the crisis in order to justify military intervention. It added that Bajoum was charged after talks with these people. The statement did not identify specific Western countries and did not specify a date for the trial. Niger’s democratically elected President Bazoum was ousted in a coup by members of his army on July 26 and has been under house arrest along with his wife and son at the presidential residence in the capital Niamey. People close to the ousted president and his ruling party said their electricity and water supplies had been cut off and they had no food.

The junta regime denied the reports on Sunday night and accused West African leaders and international partners of spreading propaganda to discredit the military government. International pressure is mounting on the junta to reinstate President Bazoum, who was ousted after the coup. Immediately after the coup, the West African regional group ECOWAS gave the military regime seven days to return Bazoum to power and threatened military action if it did not, but that deadline passed, but none No action was taken from the side. The group ordered the deployment of a “reserve” force on Thursday to restore constitutional rule in Niger. Nigeria, Benin, Senegal and Ivory Coast said they would contribute troops to the said operation. On Sunday, before the army charged Bazoum with treason, a member of the junta’s communications team told reporters that the regime had approved talks with ECOWAS, which would take place in the coming days.The same day, a mediation team of Islamic scholars from neighboring Nigeria said the regime kept the option open for talks with ECOWAS.

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