Niger: Frenchman arrested by security forces released, Paris reports

It’s a relief. On Thursday morning, Paris announced that a Frenchman arrested by putschists in Niger earlier in the week had been released. “France welcomes the release of Stéphane Julien,” said French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre, without elaborating.

A diplomatic source told AFP this Thursday that Stéphane Julien was released on Wednesday evening.

An adviser to the French living abroad and based in Niger, Stéphane Julien was arrested by Niger security forces on September 8, according to information released on Tuesday at the Quai d’Orsay. The circumstances of his arrest are not specified. At the same time, a representative of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for his “immediate release.”

Tensions after the coup

The announcement of the arrest of Stéphane Julien came in a highly tense context between Paris and Niamey following the July 26 military coup in Niger.

France still considers ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who is being held captive by the junta, as the legitimate head of state and has so far refused to respond to the demands of the putschists. The latter are demanding the departure of the ambassador to Niamey and denouncing defense agreements with Paris, which has 1,500 troops stationed in Niger, a country that was one of its last allies in the Sahel before the coup.