Two Nigerien journalists have been released from prison after spending several months in custody over allegations that they helped circulate a document authorities said could disrupt public order. Youssouf Seriba, editor-in-chief of the news website Les Echos du Niger, and Oumarou Kane, editor of the newspaper Le Herisson, were freed on Wednesday, according to their families and a judicial source. The two journalists had been detained since November 2025 and were charged in connection with the distribution of a leaked invitation for a press briefing organized by the Solidarity Front, an initiative created by Niger’s military authorities to collect public donations.
The document later spread on social media, where supporters of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum used it to criticize the ruling military government. A family member confirmed the journalists had walked free, while a judicial source verified their release but did not provide further information about the decision. A third journalist who was arrested in connection with the same case remains in detention. The release comes amid growing concerns over press freedom in Niger, which has been governed by the military since a July 2023 coup that removed democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
Since then, journalists, activists and civil society members have faced increasing restrictions and arrests. The United Nations reported that 13 journalists were detained in Niger in 2025, although several have since been released, including a correspondent for Germany’s Deutsche Welle. Rights groups have repeatedly called on Niger’s authorities to protect media freedoms and ensure journalists can operate without intimidation or legal harassment.
