Amnesty International, the Cercle des ONGs (NGO Circle) and SOS Faim have denounced the current wave of repression against Niger's civil society.
The non-profit organisations have denounced the arrest of nine human rights activists and 17 peaceful protesters as part of the demonstration of civil society against the 2018 finance law in Niger.
Among the arrested protesters were three representatives of the association Alternative Espaces Citoyens (AEC), partner of SOS Faim: Moussa Tchangari, secretary general and Ibrahim Diori, advocacy officer and Yahaya Badamassi, coordinator of AEC in Zinder. The official rationale for these arrests was the organisation and participation in a banned demonstration and complicity in the destruction of property, although human rights defenders did not participate in the banned marches. They were transferred to different prisons in Niger.
Lirwana Abdourahamane, a lawyer and activist, was also arrested as he was leaving the premises of Labari TV, where he was invited to speak about a demonstration organized by civil society organisations. The television channel was subsequently closed for four days by the security forces who raided it without providing a mandate from the High Council of Communication or the police.
Amnesty International Luxembourg is thus mobilising itself with a petition on its website for the release of these nine human rights defenders.
Moreover, SOS Faim has denounced the arrest of leaders of AEC, partner of SOS Faim since 2016 and an association for the promotion and defence of human rights co-financed by the Luxembourg Cooperation. Following the arrest of AEC leaders, SOS Faim wrote to write to Minister Jean Asselborn expressing concern over the situation and calling on the government to intervene with the Nigerian authorities to demand the release of imprisoned persons. In its 19 April reply, stating that "the situation of Nigerien civil society was regularly raised in Niamey with the representatives of the EU Member States (...)” and that Luxembourg supported, jointly with the other EU Member States, various projects supporting democratization and strengthening civil society in Niger. For SOS Faim, this response is insufficient because the seriousness of the situation requires a firmer position, in their opinion.
The three organisations have thus brought demands to the attention of Luxembourg and the European Union to denounce the repression of civil society organisations by the Nigerian authorities, demand the immediate and unconditional release of human rights defenders arrested following the demonstrations, call on the European Union and its Member States to denounce the lack of respect for the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in Niger and ask the embassies present in Niamey to take a firm stand in favour of the release of the arrested activists.
