A West African court had today, ruled for the overthrown president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, and his family –who were randomly detained– to be re-installed into the democratic government.
Bazoum was overthrown during a military coup on July 26. He and his family had since been in detention without opportunity to use running water or electricity, according to his family and party.
The coup was widely criticised and it led to sanctions from the Economic Community of West Africa States –ECOWAS, and sparked extensive calls for Bazoum’s release and a return to democratic rule.
Bazoum and his family moved their case to the ECOWAS Court of Justice in September.
Justice Gberi-Be Ouattara ordered the military officers to restore constitutional order by securing his immediate and unconditional release and reinstalling him.
The junta is yet to react to the verdict.
Mohamed Seydou Diagne, one of Bazoum’s lawyers, said in a joint statement that the ruling was a “historic” legal condemnation of Niger’s self-appointed military rulers.
The ECOWAS Court of Justice is the regional body’s main authority and its verdict cannot be petitioned. It gave the junta one month to announce how they will carry out the order.
