World Tour: Military coup in Niger

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: World Tour with our Global Desk Chief, Jenny Lind Schmitt.

SOUND: [Chanting supporters]

We begin today’s global roundup in Niger, where Africa’s latest military takeover is still unfolding.

An economic bloc of West African nations has suspended ties with Niger. That’s after the military overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum last week and appointed a new head of state.

Bazoum’s election two years ago marked the country’s first peaceful transfer of power since independence from France.

Omar Alieu Touray is president of the West African bloc.

TOURAY: In the event the authorities' demands are not met within one week, [ECOWAS is resolved to] take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force.

Leaders in the U.S. and around the world have condemned the coup.

France has also suspended aid to the country.

AUDIO: [Protesters chanting]

Thousands of protesters supporting the coup set fire to the door at the French Embassy over the weekend.

Protesters have also waved Russian flags at rallies.

AUDIO: [Speaking French]

This protester says it’s necessary to have a win-win partnership and that only France benefits from the current setup.

Neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso have faced four coups since 2020.

Military leaders in Mali—also a former French colony—scrapped French as the country’s official language last week.

China arrest —

AUDIO: [Ongoing arrest]

We head over to Laos, where authorities have detained a Chinese human rights lawyer.

Authorities detained Lu Siwei on Friday as he boarded a train heading for Thailand.

He planned to catch a flight there heading for the U.S. to join his wife and daughter.

Family members are concerned he could be returned to China where he faces possible prison time.

Chinese authorities stripped Lu of his license in 2021 after he defended a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist who tried to flee to Taiwan. He also faced an exit ban restricting him from leaving the country.

China has increasingly harassed dissidents living abroad.

Jordan cybercrime protests —

AUDIO: [Chanting protesters]

In Jordan, chanting protesters holding up banners marched through the capital Amman on Friday.

They were calling on Jordan’s King Abdullah II to reject a controversial cybercrime law that passed a lower house vote.

The law makes some online posts punishable with fines and months of prison time. Offenses include promoting or inciting immorality—demonstrating contempt for religion—or undermining national unity.

It also restricts some forms of online anonymity and targets anyone who publishes details about police officers online.

The legislation has drawn criticism from activists in Jordan and abroad.

AUDIO: [Speaking Arabic]

Protester Raina Al-Nimer says the law marks a return to martial law.

The legislation heads next to the Senate before final approval from the King.

Ecuador ammunition spike —

AUDIO: [Gunfire test]

We end today in Ecuador, where authorities are still trying to control a surge in violence.

President Guillermo Lasso last week delivered a large batch of ammunition to the national police.

LASSO: [Speaking Spanish]

Lasso says the 18 million rounds of ammunition will help the police to tackle organized crime and aid professional training.

Authorities have blamed organized crime groups for the surge in kidnappings, armed attacks, and extortion.

In late July, the mayor of Ecuador’s third-largest city died in a shooting that killed one other person and injured four others..

Ecuador is nestled between Colombia and Peru—two nations with large drug and narcotics production.

That’s it for this week’s World Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Jenny Lind Schmitt in Porrentruy, Switzerland.

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