Niger coup: Ousted President Bazoum to be charged with treason

Niger's military junta has announced plans to prosecute ousted President Mohamed Bazoum for treason and undermining national security, the BBC reported.

This is the latest sign that the junta intends to resist international pressure to return Bazoum to power. The West African regional bloc ECOWAS said it was shocked to learn that the junta wants to prosecute him.

The US State Department expressed horror that Niger's leader is being accused, with spokesperson Vedant Patel describing the charges as "completely unjustified." Patel said they would not "contribute to a peaceful resolution of this crisis" and said they were "an additional attack, in our opinion, on democracy and justice and respect for the rule of law."

But in a sign that it is consolidating its position, the junta said in a statement read on state television that it had gathered evidence to prosecute "the ousted president and his domestic and foreign accomplices for treason and for undermining Niger's internal and external security."

Bazoum (63) is being held captive with his wife and son. General Abdourahmane Tchiani, head of the presidential guard, declared himself the new ruler of Niger on July 26 after overthrowing him.

ECOWAS has threatened military action to reverse the coup, but has so far not followed through on its threat. The bloc has imposed sanctions on the junta, including cutting off electricity to Niger. This has caused power outages in the capital Niamey and other major cities.

ECOWAS says the move to prosecute Bazoum was a new form of provocation that contradicts the army's readiness to find a peaceful solution to the crisis.