Journalist arrested for collaborating with Boko Haram

by Temitope Onitiju

A journalist and human rights activist, Moussa Tchangari has been arrested in Niger for working with Boko Haram insurgents.

Tchangari was arrested on Monday and charged with criminal links to the terrorist group Boko Haram.

Tchangari’s organisation Alternative Espace Citoyen has been critical of the humanitarian crisis in southeastern Niger, where the army is fighting Boko Haram.

The interior minister of the country revealed this to AFP on Wednesday, saying: “This man has been collaborating with Boko Haram for some time, and he is actively spreading propaganda and false news in liaison with Boko Haram. All his propaganda aims to show that Niger’s defence and security forces are the criminals (and) not Boko Haram.”

Niger cannot “tolerate such an active collaboration with terrorists”, or such “systematic spreading of false news.”

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has called on Niger to free Tchangari immediately, saying that the Niger government is trying to stifle free speech by arresting the journalist.

AI said: “The fight against Boko Haram must not serve as a pretext to violate free speech.”

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