DAKAR, Senegal (AP) 鈥� Niger鈥檚 highest court lifted the immunity of the country鈥檚 democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, nearly a year after he was , his lawyer said Friday, opening the door for to prosecute him for alleged high treason.
Bazoum and his family have been under house arrest since a military coup that overthrew his rule last summer. The junta authorities said they planned to prosecute him for 鈥渉igh treason鈥� and for undermining national security, and earlier this year initiated legal proceedings to lift his immunity in a newly created State Court, which became the country鈥檚 highest judicial authority.
Before Bazoum was forcibly removed from power, Niger was the West鈥檚 last major security partner in the Sahel, the vast region south of the Sahara Desert that has become a hot spot for violent extremism.
But the military junta ordered the withdrawal of Western troops from the country and turned to the for security assistance. U.S. forces are poised to leave by the middle of September, the Pentagon said earlier this month.
The proceedings before the State Court have been marred by serious irregularities, including violations of Bazoum鈥檚 rights to present evidence in his defense, to communicate with his legal counsel, and to be heard before an independent court, according to Human Rights Watch, a leading rights group.
Bazoum鈥檚 lawyer, Reed Brody, criticized the ruling as a 鈥渕ockery鈥� of the rule of law in Niger. 鈥淲e never even got to speak to our client,鈥� Brody said. 鈥淭his is a travesty of justice.鈥�
Bazoum鈥檚 lawyers have been unable to communicate with him since last October and have had restricted access to case material, according to HRW.
Late last year, the highest court of ruled that Bazoum and his family were arbitrarily detained and called for him to be .
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Chinedu Asadu contributed to this report from Abuja, Nigeria.
Monika Pronczuk, The Associated Press
