Niger: Osiwa and PWYP Call On Niger to Immediately Release Rotab Activists

15 September 2014
Open Society Initiative for West Africa (Dakar)
analysis

Update - All arrested activists were freed on Friday evening, but they will be summoned by a judge this week. We remain vigilant.

The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and Publish What You Pay (PWYP) call on the Nigerien authorities to immediately release ROTAB activists currently under detention and to cease the harassment of civil society, including recently released Mr. Ali Idrissa.

The Open Society Initiative for West Africa and Publish What You Pay condemn the arrest of Ali Idrissa, ROTAB and PWYP Niger coordinator, taken from his home by Nigerien police at 04:00 am this morning. Several other members of ROTAB - and of other civil society organisations like Gren Initiative - were arrested later the same morning. These arrests followed yesterday's press conference where Mr. Idrissa discussed AREVA's recent deal with Niger and the visit of the French President François Hollande to West Africa. On behalf of civil society, Idrissa had called on AREVA, the French state-owned nuclear giant, to respect Niger's laws and he denounced aspects of the France - Niger relationship as neo-colonial. Mr. Idrissa had been briefly arrested yesterday, immediately after the conference, but released the same day.

The French President Hollande was in Niamey today as part of his tour of West Africa.

Ali Idrissa was released earlier today, but he has been told that once Hollande's visit is over, the authorities will take him before a judge.

Nigerien civil society has long campaigned on issues of transparency and accountability in their country's natural resource sector. Ali Idrissa is on the International Board of EITI (Extractive Transparency Industry Initiative). Most recently, ROTAB, the organization Idrissa heads, led a campaign to ensure that Niger get a fair deal for its uranium in the country's renegotiation of their contract with AREVA. Niger is an EITI implementing country and had enshrined the principle of the transparency of its natural resources in its 2010 constitution. The Open Society Initiative for West Africa and Publish What You Pay call upon the Government of Niger for the immediate and unconditional release of all members of civil society who were arrested this morning and urge respect for all human rights guaranteed in the Nigerien constitution, including freedom of expression and association.

The names of activists still in custody : Ms Solli Ramatou (GREN) Ms Naomi Stansley (ROTAB) Mr Maikoul Zodi (ROTAB) Mr Halidou Mounkaila (Membre CA ROTAB) Mr Mato (MPCR) Mr Boubacar illiassou (Rotab) Mr Yaou (Gardien siege ROTAB) Mr Ibrahim Naimayou Mr Bozari Boubacar (GREN)

Read the original article on OSIWA.

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