Overview

• The military junta in Niger has released around 50 individuals detained after the July 2023 coup, following recommendations from a February 2025 national reform conference.
• Those freed include former ministers, such as Mahamane Sani Issoufou, Kalla Moutari, Ahmat Jidoud, and Ibrahim Yacoubou, as well as military officers previously convicted of coup attempts.
• The junta frames the releases as part of its broader efforts to promote national reconciliation and forgiveness while maintaining justice.
• Ousted President Mohamed Bazoum remains in detention, with his legal immunity lifted but no trial date set, despite international calls for his release.
• Since the coup, the junta has consolidated power under a five-year transition plan, severed ties with France and ECOWAS, and strengthened alliances with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Russia.