Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – An international collective of citizens and organizations gathered in Dakar on Friday to demand the release of former Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained for over two years following a military coup.
The group, known as the Collectif Free Mohamed Bazoum, described him as “the only democratically elected head of state currently held captive in the world.”
Global Support Grows Rapidly
The initiative has already garnered more than 5,000 signatures from supporters across multiple countries, surpassing the group’s initial goal of 3,000 endorsements. “Our struggle is not political. It is a fight for the liberation of an elected president, against lies, and for democracy,” said a spokesperson during the press conference in Dakar.
To strengthen their appeal, the collective has formally addressed letters to Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and former U.S. President Barack Obama, urging them to engage in mediation efforts.
The group also called on the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to intervene and review awards given to former Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou, whom some accuse of complicity in the coup against Bazoum.
Legal Violations and a Call to Action
Reed Brody, one main Bazoum’s lawyer, who attended the Dakar event, outlined the legal violations surrounding the former president’s detention. “Almost two and a half years ago, a military coup overthrew a democratically elected president. Since then, Mohamed Bazoum and his wife Adidja have been held without charges, without trial, and without legal basis,” Brody said
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