The authors of the coup d’état in Niger announced on Sunday evening their intention to prosecute the ousted president Mohamed Bazum for treason and undermining the country’s security, AFP reported on Monday.

“The Nigerian government has now gathered evidence to prosecute the ousted president and his local and foreign accomplices before the competent national and international courts for treason and undermining the internal and external security of Niger,” said Colonel Amadou Abdramane, one of the armed forces. regime, in a press release read out on public television.

The government bases its accusations on President Bazum’s contacts with compatriots, heads of foreign states and heads of international organizations.

Regarding the ousted president, the military regime asked “to question the sincerity of his claim that he is captured, although the military never invaded his presidential residence and he still has all means of communication.” Bazuma is also “regularly visited by his doctor.” After such a visit, “the doctor did not raise any problems regarding the state of health of the deposed president and his family members,” the cited source claims. According to the advisor of the ousted president, the medical consultation took place on Saturday.

Mohamed Bazum, who has been held in his presidential residence since the coup, along with his son and wife, told several media outlets that he was being held hostage, then deprived of electricity and forced to eat only rice and pasta.

In the same statement, the military regime condemned the “illegal, inhumane and humiliating ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) sanctions” adopted on July 30 during the organization’s summit.

West African states announced, among other things, the suspension of financial and commercial transactions with Niger.

The sanctions “go as far as depriving the country of pharmaceuticals, food” and “electricity supplies,” the military complained in a press release. It states that “all urgent measures are being taken to minimize the impact of sanctions.”

Regarding people close to the ousted regime who were arrested after the coup, the ruling army added that it “reaffirms its strong desire to respect (…) Niger’s human rights obligations”.