Three activists still detained
On 30 April, Sani Chekaraou president of the Niamey wholesalers’ association was released on bail with Moussa Tchangari and Habibou Soumaila. He was also arrested on 16 March and charged with assault of market officials.
There is a pattern of harassment and intimidation of activists on the basis of Cybercrime Law. From March to end of April 2020, at least four activists were arrested and charged under this cyber law.
Mahaman Lawali Mahaman Nassourou (member of ROTAB) was arrested on 23 April for "sharing and dissemination information likely to disturb public order or to harm human dignity". He is detained at the prison of Maradi, second largest city in Niger
Ali Idrissa, coordinator of ROTAB and leader of civil society organisation was summoned to the police station on 9 April following a complaint by the former Army Chief of Staff. He was accused of defamation in connection with the corruption scandal involving the Ministry of Defense. Ali Idrissa was released on bail on 14 April. He was charged with “defamation against the general of the army and the wife of the former Chief of staff”, as well as the “dissemination of information likely to disturb public order” based on the Cyber criminality Law.
On Friday 13 March, authorities in Niger published a statement from the Council of Ministers concerning measures being taken to combat the spread of COVID-19, including a ban on all gatherings likely to attract more than 1,000 people. A demonstration was already planned to take place on 15 March in Niamey and other cities by civil society organisation to demand an investigation into the allegations of misuse of funds revealed by an audit of the Ministry of Defence. Despite the ban, the organisers went ahead with the demonstrations.
Early in the morning of 15 March, security forces blocked all the roads leading to the planned venue for the protest, the ‘Place de la Concertation’ in Niamey. At least three individuals died when the demonstration was violently broken up by security forces using tear gas. Significant damage was recorded as several shops were set on fire near the Tagabati market. Civil society leaders were subsequently arrested.
Maikoul Zodi is detained in Ouallam Prison (100 km from Niamey), Halidou Mounkaila in Camp Penal of Dey Keyna (111 km from Niamey) and Moudi Moussa in Kollo Prison (35 km from Niamey).
On 19 March, Niger reported its first case of the COVID-19 infection in the country. On 20 March, the ministry of Justice declared in a press release that as a prevention measure, detainees are not allowed visits for three months.