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Niger ex-leader 'must be charged' Niger junta names prime minister
(about 6 hours later)
Niger's ousted President Mamadou Tandja should be tried for high treason, the country's main opposition party says. The junta which overthrew Niger's president and seized power last week has appointed a civilian to be prime minister until new elections are held.
Mohamed Bazoum, deputy chairman of PNDS Taraya, told the BBC that Mr Tandja's decision last year to scrap term limits for presidents was a criminal offence. It chose Mahamadou Danda, who served as communications minister in a previous administration, which itself took power in a coup in 1999.
Mr Tandja, 71, was overthrown in a coup last Thursday. The military takeover was welcomed by opposition leaders like Mr Bazoum and some human rights groups. The ousted President, Mamadou Tandja, is still being held by the military along with some of his ministers.
The new junta has said it will oversee the writing of a new constitution. No date for the new polls has yet been announced by the coup leaders.
Mr Bazoum's call for Mr Tandja to be tried for treason came after local rights activists made similar calls. Niger's main opposition party has called for Mr Tandja to be tried for high treason because of his decision last year to scrap limits on the presidential term in office, which went against a ruling by the Supreme Court.
"Item 42 of the constitution says clearly that when he does not respect the high constitutional court decision, he is in an impeachment situation," Mr Bazoum said. Mohamed Bazoum, vice president of PNDS Taraya, told the BBC that the decision was a criminal offence.
The BBC's Caspar Leighton in the capital Niamey says high treason carries the death sentence. There has still been no official statement on what will happen to Mr Tandja, the BBC's Caspar Leighton reports from the capital, Niamey.
But he says Mr Bazoum does not want the former president to be executed. The Red Cross in Niger has told the BBC that they have been allowed to visit some of the detainees, but without specifying whom.
Ruling by decree The organisation said it had had full cooperation from the military authorities and that it had not had to raise any concerns about the prisoners.
Mr Tandja angered many by forcing through constitutional changes that would allow him to remain in power for an unlimited period. Army in charge
Opposition leaders like Mr Bazoum and some human rights groups have welcomed the coup, with the junta saying it will oversee the writing of a new constitution.
NIGER Chronic povertyPopulation 14 million, 61% live on less than $1 a dayResource rich Huge reserves of uranium, Chinese firms digging for oilPolitically unstable History of coups, assassinations and on-off rebellion by nomadic Tuareg people in the north Source: World Bank Niger, where the army mattersNIGER Chronic povertyPopulation 14 million, 61% live on less than $1 a dayResource rich Huge reserves of uranium, Chinese firms digging for oilPolitically unstable History of coups, assassinations and on-off rebellion by nomadic Tuareg people in the north Source: World Bank Niger, where the army matters
While the crime of high treason carries the death sentence, Mr Bazoum said he did not want the former president to be executed.
The coup leaders, calling themselves the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, have promised to turn Niger into a democracy.The coup leaders, calling themselves the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, have promised to turn Niger into a democracy.
In a radio broadcast on Monday evening, they said putsch leader Salou Djibo would act as both the head of state and government, ruling by decree.In a radio broadcast on Monday evening, they said putsch leader Salou Djibo would act as both the head of state and government, ruling by decree.
He will have the power to appoint and sack the government and the prime minister, who is still to be named. He will have the power to appoint and sack the government and the new prime minister.
The soldiers said a new constitution would be put to the people in a referendum. The military have reportedly used tanks to surround the house of Gen Moumouni Boureima, the former head of the army who refused to back last Thursday's coup.
But no timeline was given for the transition process and no election date has been set.
The junta says Mr Tandja is currently being held in the presidential palace, and the International Committee of the Red Cross is trying to visit him to check on the conditions of his detention.
Meanwhile, the military has reportedly used tanks to surround the house of Gen Moumouni Boureima, the former head of the army who refused to back last Thursday's coup.
Niger has experienced long periods of military rule since independence from France in 1960.Niger has experienced long periods of military rule since independence from France in 1960.
But Mr Tandja's supporters argue that his decade in power has brought a measure of economic stability to the poor West African nation.But Mr Tandja's supporters argue that his decade in power has brought a measure of economic stability to the poor West African nation.
Under his tenure, the French energy firm Areva has begun work on the world's second-biggest uranium mine - ploughing an estimated $1.5bn (£970m) into the project. Under his tenure, the French energy firm Areva began work on the world's second-biggest uranium mine - ploughing an estimated $1.5bn (£970m) into the project.
China National Petroleum Corporation signed a $5bn deal in 2008 to pump oil within three years.China National Petroleum Corporation signed a $5bn deal in 2008 to pump oil within three years.