Two Nigerien journalists freed after months in detention

Two journalists in Niger have been released from prison, their families and a court source confirmed Wednesday.

Youssouf Seriba, editor-in-chief of the news site Les Echos du Niger, and Oumarou Kane, who edits the newspaper Le Herisson, had been held since November 2025.

They were charged with helping distribute a document deemed likely to disturb public order.

A family member broke the news, saying simply that both men had just walked free. A judicial source later confirmed the release but gave no further details.

What led to their arrest

The case centered on a leaked invitation. It was for a press briefing held by the Solidarity Front, a body Niger's military government set up to seek donations from the public.

The invitation ended up circulating on social media. Supporters of ousted president Mohamed Bazoum then used it to criticize the ruling junta.

A third journalist, arrested over the same leak, remains in custody.

A wider crackdown

Niger has been under military rule since 2023, when the army removed elected president Mohamed Bazoum from power. Since then, journalists, activists, and civil society figures have increasingly found themselves behind bars.

The United Nations says 13 journalists were arrested in Niger in 2025. Three were released in May, including a correspondent for Germany's Deutsche Welle.