Niger: Journalist Ali Soumana jailed in Say after a complaint from the Prime Minister
Nigerien journalist Ali Soumana, publisher of the weekly Le Courrier, was placed in detention on Monday, September 8, 2025 at Say prison, near Niamey.
He had been arrested two days earlier, following a complaint filed by Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine for defamation.
The case stems from an article published in late August by Le Courrier, reporting an alleged fraud involving merchants and customs officials. The piece cited a document said to bear the prime minister’s signature.
After his appearance before a judge, Ali Soumana was charged with defamation and complicity in the dissemination of electronic data.
This isn’t the first legal case targeting the journalist. Last April, he was briefly taken into police custody, following a complaint filed by a former customs director.
In response to this new arrest, the Union des journalistes de la presse libre africaine (UJPLA) expressed deep concern and called on the Nigerien authorities to respect press freedom and ensure that journalists can do their work without intimidation.
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