2023-08-13 08:18:42
He is fine “. Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, sequestered in his presidential residence in Niamey since a coup that overthrew him on July 26, “had a visit from his doctor” on Saturday, said one of his relatives, while concerns concerning his fate are multiplying.
“The President of the Republic”, Mohamed Bazoum, “had a visit from his doctor today (Saturday)”, who “also brought him food”, as well as his son and his wife detained with him , said this relative. “He is doing well given the situation,” he added.
Several representatives of organizations and countries allied with Niger before the coup expressed their concern about the conditions of confinement and the state of health of the ousted president.
The international community is concerned
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed Friday “his serious concerns” on “the deterioration of the conditions of detention” of Mohamed Bazoum. “Such treatment of a democratically elected president through a regular electoral process is unacceptable,” he denounced.
The European Union (EU) also expressed its “deep concern”, using the same terms as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who said he was “appalled” by the refusal of military leaders to release Mohamed Bazoum.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also said he was “concerned” about “the deplorable conditions in which President Bazoum and his family would live,” the organization said in a statement.
According to the NGO Human Rights Watch, which spoke to Mr. Bazoum, he described the treatment of his family as “inhuman and cruel”. According to the American media CNN, Mohamed Bazoum only has pasta and rice to eat. According to the same source, he also claimed in a series of messages sent to a friend that no one brought him food or medicine.
The visit by Mohamed Bazoum’s doctor comes two days after the heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were authorized to deploy the organisation’s “standby force”, with a view to of a possible military intervention in Niger.
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