Case History: Nouhou Arzika
On 27 May 2015, human rights defenders Mr Moussa Tchangari and Mr Nouhou Arzika were provisionally released after being detained for 10 and 4 days respectively in the anti-terrorist Brigade in Niamey. Upon release, both were charged by the investigating judge with undermining national defence, a capital offence under Niger legislation.
Nouhou Arzika, President of Mouvement patriotique pour une citoyenneté responsable (Patriotic Movement for Responsible Citizenship), is a civil society actor in Niger, particularly vocal on consumer rights.
On 27 May 2015, human rights defenders Mr Moussa Tchangari and Mr Nouhou Arzika were provisionally released after being detained for 10 and 4 days respectively in the anti-terrorist Brigade in Niamey. Upon release, both were charged by the investigating judge with undermining national defence, a capital offence under Niger legislation.
Moussa Tchangari was arrested and detained on 18 May 2015 after giving an interview to Radio France Internationale (RFI) on the situation of six traditional chiefs in the region of Diffa in the south-east of the country, who were detained by the anti-terrorist Brigade following suspicions of collusion with Boko Haram's insurgents in Nigeria. A few days before Tchangari's arrest, Alternative Espace Citoyens had published a report criticizing the government's policy in the border area, where Nigerian and Chadian armies are engaged in fighting with Boko Haram. The report highlighted the terrible conditions in which at least 25,000 people were forcibly evacuated from the Lake Chad Islands by the Niger government following an attack carried out by fighters of Boko Haram on the island of Karamga, which killed at least 74 Niger soldiers and civilians. The report was particularly critical of the failure by the government to make provisions for the accommodation and relocation of the displaced persons.
According to information received, the accusations against Moussa Tchangari are now largely based on his alleged carrying out of activities that undermine the “morale of troops”, after no evidence could be found to sustain the initial accusations against him of “conspiracy with a terrorist organisation”.
Although his lawyers were never informed of the formal accusations held against the human rights defender during the 10 days of his detention, the Ministry of the Interior apparently stated that Tchangari was being detained on suspicion of conspiracy with the terrorist organisation Boko Haram, and of carrying out a defamation campaign against the armed forces and the government.
Nouhou Arzika was arrested on 24 May 2015, following his participation in a press conference alongside the lawyers of Moussa Tchangari, in which he called for the release of his colleague. He now faces similar charges.
