Washington, March 24 -- Several civil society organisations have today expressed concern over the arrest of at least 15 of their members and the detention and prosecution of seven of them. These events are taking place in the context of an increasingly deteriorating climate for civil society in Niger where several serious violations of fundamental freedoms have been recorded in recent weeks.
On 13 March, the Council of Ministers released a statement on the measures the country is taking to control the spread of COVID-19, including the banning of gatherings of over 1,000 people.
On 15 March, an assembly was held in the capital, Niamey, to denounce a misappropriation of public funds for the purchase of weapon equipment intended to fight ter...