Moussa Tchangari. © Photo: Aurora info
I join the UN working group, Amnesty International and the others calling on Niger’s military authorities to immediately release Tchangari and the other detainees who are languishing in prison due to baseless and politically motivated charges. The authorities in Niamey should uphold their obligations under international law and ensure respect for fundamental human rights, including the rights to liberty, due process, and a fair trial. Above all, Niger’s authorities should stop using terrorism-related charges to silence dissent.
On 3 December, 2024, my good friend and comrade, Moussa Tchangari, was arrested at his home in Niamey by plain-clothed officers. He was later charged with “criminal association in connection with a terrorist enterprise,” “undermining national defence,” as well as “intelligence with enemy powers.” It has been very painful for me ever since, because he was just returning from my 70th Anniversary Birthday Symposium in Abuja, where comrades had assembled to debate the contributions of activists and progressive intellectuals to improving the lives and livelihoods of Africans, and he was one of several comrades who attended from outside Nigeria.
