NIAMEY, NIGER (HRNW) — Human Rights Watch says Niger’s military authorities have provisionally stripped five more exiled opposition figures of their nationality, raising renewed concerns over due process and the risk of statelessness.
According to Human Rights Watch, Niger’s junta signed a decree on September 17 removing the nationality of five prominent Nigeriens living outside the country.
The organization said the decision was made under a 2024 framework that created a national terrorism database and allows authorities to take action against individuals included on the database.
Human Rights Watch said the framework lacks adequate safeguards for legal review, appeal and redress.
The organization warned that depriving people of nationality without meaningful judicial safeguards can have serious consequences for their legal identity, movement and ability to exercise basic rights.
The latest action reportedly brings the number of people provisionally deprived of Nigerien nationality under the framework to 25.
Human Rights Watch said previous cases included people associated with former President Mohamed Bazoum and opposition figures living in exile.
The organization is calling on Nigerien authorities to reverse measures that it considers incompatible with international protections concerning nationality and due process.
Human Rights Watch also urged authorities to provide affected individuals with effective opportunities to challenge the decisions.
The dispute comes amid continuing political tensions following Niger’s 2023 military takeover and subsequent restrictions affecting political opponents and critics.
The organization said counterterrorism measures should not be used in ways that arbitrarily punish political opponents or undermine fundamental legal protections.
Human Rights Watch is also urging international partners to monitor the impact of nationality deprivation and related counterterrorism measures.
The latest cases add to concerns raised by rights organizations about the shrinking space for political opposition and civic activity in Niger.
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Disclaimer
This article is based on Human Rights Watch’s reporting concerning nationality decisions affecting Nigerien citizens living in exile. HRNW attributes the legal and human-rights concerns to Human Rights Watch and does not independently determine the validity of individual cases or the legality of the government measures.
