Niger junta to charge deposed president with treason

The military leaders on Sunday said they have enough evidence to prosecute President Mohamed Bazoum with high treason and undermining the country’s security. The Nigerien presidential guard last month staged a coup and placed Bazoum, 63, and his wife and son under house arrest. Junta leaders said Sunday that Bazoum was charged because of his alleged exchanges with international leaders since the coup. The ousted president could face the death penalty if found guilty, according to Nigerien law. The junta did not give a date for the trial.

Is the junta participating in peace talks? Members of the Economic Community of West African States on Saturday said it wanted to send a committee to Niger for talks with the coup leaders. The group has threatened military action against the junta, and international leaders are calling for Bazoum’s release. The Peace and Security Council of the African Union met Monday in Ethiopia to discuss the situation. 

Dig deeper: Listen to Myrna Brown and Lynde Langdon’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about the coup in Niger.