Niger lawyer gets two years over army Facebook post

A court in military-ruled Niger sentenced lawyer and civil society member Abourahamane Lirwana to two years in jail over a Facebook post about the army, one of his lawyers said Tuesday.

Lirwana had been held at a Niamey prison since last month. People close to him said he had been accused of disseminating information likely to disturb public order.

On September 12, Lirwana wrote on Facebook that Niger's army was split into two camps, one supporting former president Mahamadou Issoufou and the other supporting ousted president Mohamed Bazoum.

Niger has been ruled by General Abdourahamane Tiani since a July 2023 coup overthrew Bazoum, who has been detained since then. Issoufou, who was president from 2011 to 2021, and Bazoum were allies before becoming rivals.

The post came weeks after military authorities in Niger thwarted an army mutiny after fighting in the capital, Niamey.