The human rights landscape in Niger has witnessed a dramatic deterioration since the July 2023 military coup. In 2025, the ruling junta intensified its crackdown on political opponents, dissenters, trade unionists, and journalists. Among those detained without due process are former President Mohamed Bazoum and his spouse, alongside numerous officials from the overthrown government, activists, and members of the press.

Niger continues to face persistent security threats from multiple Islamist armed groups, including the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS), the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM or JNIM)—affiliated with Al-Qaeda—as well as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP). Violence has escalated in the western Tillabéri region and along borders shared with Mali and Burkina Faso, exposing civilians to heightened risks of violence and displacement.

In August, the military leadership launched ‘Garkuwar Kassa’ (or ‘Shields of the Homeland’ in Hausa), a civilian militia initiative aimed at enlisting and training locals to support national forces. While framed as a security measure, the plan has sparked concerns over potential human rights abuses, as unregulated militias could operate beyond accountability.

March 2025 marked a decisive step away from democratic norms when General Abdourahamane Tiani assumed the presidency in a non-electoral transition, effectively extending military rule for at least five years. This move was followed by a decree abolishing multiparty politics nationwide, further consolidating authoritarian control.

Niger’s withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January 2025—alongside Mali and Burkina Faso—severely limited citizens’ access to regional justice mechanisms, including the ECOWAS Court of Justice. In September, the three countries announced their intention to exit the International Criminal Court (ICC), raising grave concerns about impunity for atrocity crimes.

Escalating violence by islamist armed groups

The Islamist insurgency, which began in northern Mali in 2012 and spread to neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso in 2015, has inflicted widespread suffering across the Sahel for over a decade. In 2025, the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) intensified attacks in the Tillabéri region—bordering Burkina Faso and Mali—targeting civilians with summary executions, arson, and looting.

On March 21, EIS fighters stormed a mosque in Fambita during afternoon prayers, killing at least 46 worshippers—including three children—and burning over 20 homes and several market stalls. Survivors reported that prior threats accused villagers of collaborating with the Nigerien military or failing to pay zakat (Islamic tax).

Similar atrocities unfolded throughout the year. On May 13, five men and two boys were killed in Dani Fari, with 12 homes torched and dozens more looted. On June 20, a village leader was executed in Abarkaize, followed days later by the abduction and murder of five men. Attacks on June 21 in Manda and June 23 in Ezzak resulted in over 70 and six civilian deaths respectively, along with widespread property destruction.

In each instance, survivors emphasized that military forces had failed to respond to advance warnings, leaving communities defenseless against these coordinated assaults.

Suppression of dissent and political opposition

Since the 2023 coup, former President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife have been held incommunicado at the presidential palace in Niamey, denied contact with family or legal counsel. His presidential immunity was revoked in 2024 through a flawed legal process, and he now faces potential prosecution. In February 2025, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention condemned his detention as unlawful and demanded immediate release.

The junta has arbitrarily arrested dozens of former officials, including ministers, presidential advisors, and allies of Bazoum, denying them fair trials. While some detainees were released in April 2025, others remain imprisoned on politically motivated charges. Prominent human rights defender Moussa Tiangari—known for criticizing the junta—was arrested in December 2024 and charged with terrorism-related offenses, including conspiracy with foreign powers, a crime punishable by death. Despite legal challenges and international appeals, he remains in pretrial detention without judicial review.

Crackdown on freedom of expression and association

Since 2023, press freedom in Niger has come under severe restriction. Journalists face threats, harassment, and arbitrary detention, prompting widespread self-censorship to avoid retaliation. In January 2025, the government suspended the private news channel Canal 3 TV for 30 days and revoked the press card of its editor, Seyni Amadou, after he criticized government ministers on air. Though the suspension was later lifted, the message was clear: criticism of authority carries consequences.

In February, military authorities expelled the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from Niger without public explanation, disrupting critical humanitarian aid to vulnerable communities.

On May 8, security forces arrested three journalists from Sahara FM in Agadez, accusing them of reporting on a rumored rift in Niger’s security cooperation with Russia and Turkey. Despite a judge ordering their release the next day, they were re-arrested and remain in detention as of this report.

In August, Interior Minister General Mohamed Toumba dissolved four judicial trade unions, citing vague claims of deviation and personal interests. The move was widely condemned as a grave violation of workers’ rights and judicial independence. The Niger Bar Association and the Union of Nigerien Workers condemned the decision and called for its reversal, sparking a two-day lawyers’ strike in protest.