Niger: Free human rights defender Moussa Tchangari

On January 3, 2025, Moussa Tchangari, a human rights defender and secretary-general of Citizens’ Alternative Spaces, faced two new charges: “infringing on national defense” and “intelligence with enemy countries.” He was transferred to Filingué Prison, about 110 miles from Niamey, Niger’s capital.

Moussa’s ordeal began on December 3, 2024, when he was arrested. For two days, his fate and location were unknown. On December 5, authorities revealed he was being held at the Central Service for Combating Terrorism and Organized Transnational Crime in Niamey. He was charged with advocating terrorism and criminal association linked to terrorism. If convicted, Moussa could face five to 10 years in prison.

Here’s what you can do:

Write to the President of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland urging him to:

• Ensure that Moussa Tchangari is immediately released, as he is being detained solely for the peaceful exercise of his human rights. 
• Drop all charges against him without delay. 

The arrest and charges against Moussa Tchangari

On December 3, 2024, Moussa Tchangari was arrested at his home in Niamey by at least three gunmen in plain clothes claiming to be policemen. They seized his phone, laptop, and suitcase, hooded him, and took him away. When he asked for a warrant, they dismissed the need for one. For nearly two days, his whereabouts were unknown until he was found at the Central Service for Combating Terrorism and Organized Transnational Crime in Niamey. There, he met his lawyers for the first time.

Tchangari faces charges including “advocacy of terrorism,” “undermining state security,” and “criminal association in connection with terrorism.” If convicted, he could be imprisoned for five to 10 years and stripped of his Nigerien citizenship. These charges stem partly from his criticism of government actions, such as the suspension of two humanitarian NGOs and the creation of a terrorism database.

Crackdown on human rights since the 2023 coup

After the July 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s military government has increasingly restricted human rights and freedoms. Under the leadership of Abdourahamane Tiani, the military authorities have cracked down on opposition voices, civil society, and independent media. Activists, human rights defenders, and journalists have faced harassment, threats, and arbitrary arrests. Many, including Tchangari, report self-censoring to avoid reprisals.

Tchangari’s organization, Citizens’ Alternative Spaces (AEC), convened a meeting in November 2024 to address policies such as the revocation of citizenship from individuals linked to the previous regime. He expressed fears that the military government might target AEC, shutting it down to silence its human rights advocacy.

A lifelong commitment to human rights

Moussa Tchangari has championed human rights and the rule of law in Niger since the 1990s. His work has led to previous detentions in 2015 and 2018. Days before his December 2024 arrest, Tchangari confided in a colleague about the risks he faced as a vocal critic of the military authorities. Despite his caution, he continued to advocate for justice and human rights.

Tchangari now fears his detention will set a precedent, putting other civil society activists at risk of similar treatment. His charges, tied to terrorism-related offenses, fall under sweeping policies that could strip citizens of their rights without a conviction. This intensifies concerns about the shrinking space for civil society and human rights advocacy in Niger.

Please take action as soon as possible until July 15, 2025! The UA will be duly updated should there be the need for further action.