A Niger Republic court has sent to prison Moussa Tchangari, a leading civil society figure and strong critic of the Abdourahmane Tchiani-led military junta, one month after he was detained following a trip abroad.

The development was revealed by Tchangari's Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Alternative Citizen Spaces (AEC) on Friday, January 3, 2025.

AEC disclosed that Tchangari was seized by unidentified gunmen at his home on December 3, 2024, and sentenced on Friday.

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The critic has unapologetically criticised the junta and voiced his support for the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, whose government was toppled in a July 2023 military coup.

Since then, the democratically elected Bazoum has been imprisoned with his wife Hadiza at the presidential palace in Niamey, the capital city.

Tchangari infuriates Tchiani

Meanwhile, the activist described the coup and power grab of Niger's powerful presidential guard, Tchiani as a "setback."

AEC said Tchangari was “incarcerated at Filingue prison by the senior investigating judge” of a Niamey court.

Filingue prison, about 200 kilometres (120 miles) northeast of Niamey, is notorious for holding political dissidents who have opposed Niger’s previous governments.

As reported by Air Info newspaper, Tchangari was arrested at home by “four men dressed in civilian clothes” while he “was coming back from a trip outside of the country.”

According to AEC member Kaka Toud, the activist's phone and laptop were seized during the arrest.

The 55-year-old long-standing figure of the civil society movement in Niger is accused of “glorifying terrorism, undermining national security” and being involved in a “criminal conspiracy in connection with terrorism,” per his NGO.

Rights groups, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders have called for his release.

The organisations linked Tchangari's ordeal to what they termed a "pervasive crackdown" by the Nigerien authorities on political opponents and the media since Tchiani seized power.

The activist was previously arrested in May 2015 over critical remarks by his organisation about the humanitarian situation in southeastern Niger, where the army is fighting a jihadist insurgency. He was later released.