ASGI is shocked to learn that Moussa Tchangari, secretary general of the Nigerien Alternative Espaces Citoyens (AEC) association, was arrested at the end of a demonstration held in Niamey on March 15, 2020 and is still being held arbitrarily.
The Nigerien association, which has been involved in the promotion of civil and political rights in the country for years, is part of ASGI’s network to study and fight against human rights violations committed against migrants in Niger. As part of ASGI’s Sciabaca & Oruka projects, many ASGI members had the opportunity to get to know Mr. Tchangari during their visit to Niamey in June 2019.
According to reports received by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, the clashes that broke out on March 15 in Niamey between the Nigerien police and the demonstrators, who took to the streets to protest against episodes of corruption in the purchase of military equipment by the Nigerien government, resulted in the death of at least three people. Mr. Tchangari was reportedly arrested a few hours after the demonstration ended, as were other activists such as Halidou Moukaila, secretary general of the National Union of Contract Agents and Officers of Basic Education (SYNACEB), a member of Tournons La Page Niger (TLP) and Network of Organizations for Transparency and Budget Analysis (ROTAB). Seyni Djibo Nouhou Arzika, president of the Patriotic Movement for Citizenship, and Karim Tonko, TLP treasurer and member of the Youth Union for the Protection of Democracy and Human Rights (UJPDDH), were also reportedly arrested but released after interrogation. Between 16 and 17 March 2020, the police arrested other activists including Maikoul Zodi, coordinator for the Niger of the TLP campaign, Moussa Moudy, regional coordinator of the TLP in Niamey, Sani Chekaraou, president of the Traders Union, and Habibou Soumaila, responsible of communications for TLP regional coordination in Niamey.
In 2018 Moussa Tchangari and other activists (including Nouhou Arzika, Maikoul Zodi and Karim Tonko) had already been arrested and arbitrarily jailed for periods ranging between three and six months on charges of “organizing and participating in a prohibited demonstration”, ” complicity in violence “,” assault “and” destruction of property “, for participating and inciting others to participate in peaceful demonstrations against the 2018 budget law.ASGI joins the appeal of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, which strongly condemns this new wave of arbitrary arrests in Niger and invites the Nigerien authorities to immediately release Moussa Tchangari, Halidou Moukaila, Maikoul Zodi, Moussa Moudy, Sani Chekaraou and Habibou Soumaila. ASGI also urges the Nigerien authorities to respect all the rights guaranteed by international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Niger, and in particular the freedom of association, peaceful demonstration and freedom of expression, and to refrain from any form of intimidation against defenders of human rights and civil liberties in the country.
