Alliance of Sahel states outraged at EU demand to free Niger's president

The European parliament voted last week to pass a resolution demanding the "immediate" release of Niger's former president Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted in a coup in 2023 and has been detained ever since. The Alliance of Sahel states reacted with indignation.

The military rulers of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali were united in their outrage on Thursday. They denounced a resolution passed by the European parliament to demand the immediate release of Niger's president Mohamed Bazoum as "a grave attempt of meddling" in the affairs of an independent state.

Mohamed Bazoum was elected as president of Niger in 2021. He only stayed in power for two years, becoming the victim of a military coup in July 2023, which led to his detention together with his wife.

He has remained under arrest ever since and Niger has so far refused to heed various calls for his release.

Niger's Minister of the Interior said that the EU parliament's resolution to release Bazoum "immediately and unconditionally" was an "aggression" of his country.

He was joined by voices from the two other states of the Sahel Alliance. All three countries are led by military juntas that came to power through coups instead of elections.