Current:Home > BackNiger coup leaders say they'll prosecute President Bazoum for "high treason"-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Niger coup leaders say they'll prosecute President Bazoum for "high treason"
View Date:2024-12-23 22:08:41
Niger's coup leaders said Monday they will prosecute deposed President Mohamed Bazoum for "high treason" and undermining state security.
The announcement was made on state television by Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane just hours after the military junta that ousted the president said they were open to resolving the mounting regional crisis diplomatically.
Abdramane said the military regime had "gathered the necessary evidence to prosecute before competent national and international authorities the ousted president and his local and foreign accomplices for high treason and for undermining the internal and external security of Niger."
If found guilty, Bazoum could face the death penalty, according to Niger's penal code.
Niger's democratically elected president was ousted by members of his presidential guard on July 26 and has since been under house arrest with his wife and son. People close to the president as well as those in his ruling party say the family's electricity and water have been cut off and they're running out of food.
A member of his entourage said he saw his doctor on Saturday.
"After this visit, the doctor raised no problems regarding the state of health of the deposed president and members of his family," the military said.
International pressure is mounting on the military junta to reinstate Bazoum. The West African regional bloc ECOWAS has imposed sanctions on Niger and threatened military intervention if civilian rule is not restored.
But new Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine said in an interview released Monday that Niger will be able to thwart the sanctions, according to Agence France-Presse.
On July 30, it issued a seven-day ultimatum to restore Bazoum or face the potential use of force, but the deadline expired without the new rulers backing down.
In the weeks since the coup, the junta has entrenched itself in power, appointing a new government and leveraging anti-French sentiment against its former colonial ruler to shore up support among the population.
The African Union Peace and Security Council was meeting Monday to discuss Niger's crisis and could overrule the decision if it felt wider peace and security on the continent was threatened by an intervention.
- In:
- Niger
veryGood! (336)
Related
- College football Week 12 expert picks for every Top 25 game include SEC showdowns
- Why Dolly Parton Is Defending the CMAs After Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Snub
- Heather Gay Reveals RHOSLC Alum's Surprising Connection to Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Star
- NFL power rankings Week 3: Chiefs still No. 1, but top five overhaul occurs after chaotic weekend
- Kentucky governor says investigators will determine what caused deadly Louisville factory explosion
- Jordan Chiles deserved Olympic bronze medal. And so much more
- Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's 4 Kids Look So Grown Up in Back-to-School Photos
- False reports of explosives found in a car near a Trump rally spread online
- Florida man’s US charges upgraded to killing his estranged wife in Spain
- Dolphins put Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after latest concussion
Ranking
- Sydney Sweeney Slams Women Empowerment in the Industry as Being Fake
- A Dangerous Chemical Is Fouling Niagara Falls’ Air. New York State Hasn’t Put a Stop to It
- Halle Berry Reveals Hilarious Mom Mistake She Made With 16-Year-Old Daughter Nahla
- 'World-changing' impact: Carlsbad Caverns National Park scolds visitor who left Cheetos
- Top Federal Reserve official defends central bank’s independence in wake of Trump win
- Harassment case dismissed against Alabama transportation director
- Iconic Tupperware Brands seeks Chapter 11 bankruptcy
- The Secret Service again faces scrutiny after another gunman targets Trump
Recommendation
-
More than 150 pronghorns hit, killed on Colorado roads as animals sought shelter from snow
-
Gia Giudice Shares Hangover Skincare Hacks, the Item She Has in Her Bag at All Times & $2 Beauty Tools
-
Ellen DeGeneres Addresses Workplace Scandal in Teaser for Final Comedy Special
-
Texas pipeline fire continues to burn in Houston suburb after Monday's explosion
-
Unexpected pairing: New documentary tells a heartwarming story between Vietnam enemies
-
Dancing With the Stars' Brooks Nader Reveals Relationship Status During Debut With Gleb Savchenko
-
Chiefs RB depth chart: How Isiah Pacheco injury, Kareem Hunt signing impacts KC backfield
-
Most maternal deaths can be prevented. Here’s how California aims to cut them in half