Niger Jails Three Journalists on Cybercrime Charges Over News Conference Invitation
In a move that has drawn sharp condemnation from press freedom advocates, authorities in Niger have imprisoned three journalists on charges related to sharing a digital invitation to a government news conference.
Ibro Chaibou, Youssouf Sriba, and Oumarou Abou Kan were transferred to Kollo prison in southern Niger on November 3, following their initial arrest on October 30. The case has sent shockwaves through Niger’s media community, raising urgent questions about the state of press freedom under the current military regime.
A Sweeping Legal Crackdown
The three imprisoned journalists are part of a larger group of six media professionals formally charged on November 3 with “disseminating data likely to disturb public order”—a cybercrime offense that carries a potential five-year prison sentence. The charges were confirmed by their lawyer, Boudal Effred Mouloul, and two anonymous sources close to the case who feared government retaliation.
The accused journalists represent several prominent private media outlets:
Moussa Kaka, CEO of Radio Télévision Saraounia (RTS) group
Ibro Chaibou, newsroom manager at RTS
Youssouf Sriba, publishing director of Les chos du Niger news site
Oumarou Abou Kan, owner of the satirical newspaper Le Hérisson
Souleymane Oumarou Brah, publishing director of La Voix du Peuple newspaper
Abdoul Aziz Id, RTS news presenter
While Chaibou has been detained since October 30, the legal proceedings have followed a tortuous path. The other five journalists, along with an unnamed RTS driver, were initially detained and questioned by Niamey judicial police on October 30, released, then rearrested on November 1. By November 3, the driver was released without charges, while Kaka, Brah, and Aziz were freed under judicial supervision.
Cybercrime Laws as Press Freedom Tools
The case centers on a seemingly routine piece of information: an invitation to a news conference hosted by the Solidarity Fund for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (FSSP). The FSSP was established in 2023 to fund the state’s anti-terrorism efforts.
On October 29, Hamid Amadou N’gad, a former communications adviser to ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, posted the invitation on Facebook. In his post, N’gad claimed the government would announce mandatory deductions from salaries and mobile money transfers—a measure the government subsequently implemented. N’gad was among several former presidential allies who had their citizenship revoked in 2024.
According to sources familiar with the case, veteran journalist Moussa Kaka—a former Radio France Internationale correspondent until the station was banned in Niger—received the news conference invitation and forwarded it to his colleague Ibro Chaibou. Chaibou then shared it in a WhatsApp group with Sriba, Kan, and Brah, who regularly appear as panelists on Saraounia TV’s weekly “Club de la presse” program, which Chaibou hosts.
International Condemnation Grows
“The misuse of cybercrime laws for baseless accusations further demonstrates the Nigerien authorities’ regression on press freedom,” stated Moussa Ngom, Francophone Africa representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists. “Nigerien authorities must immediately release Ibro Chaibou, Youssouf Sriba, and Oumarou Abou Kan and drop all charges against the unjustly prosecuted journalists.”
The legal framework used against the journalists was strengthened last year by Niger’s current head of state, Abdourahamane Tchiani, who overthrew the democratically elected Bazoum government in 2023. Since then, these enhanced cybercrime penalties have been frequently deployed to detain journalists, creating what media advocates describe as a chilling effect on independent reporting.
CPJ’s attempts to contact Niger’s police, the FSSP, and Ministry of Communication for comment went unanswered, leaving many questions about the proportionality of the state’s response to the sharing of a news conference invitation.
As the three journalists remain behind bars, their case has become a litmus test for press freedom in a nation where the space for independent journalism appears to be rapidly shrinking.
Source: Committee to Protect Journalists