France announced on Tuesday the arrest on September 8 by Nigerien security forces of Stéphane Jullien, advisor to French people abroad based in Niger, and demanded “his immediate release.” “She calls for his immediate release. Since day one, our embassy has been fully mobilized to ensure consular protection for our compatriot,” according to a statement from the spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
An advisor to French people abroad represents his expatriate compatriots at embassies and consulates. The announcement of the arrest of Stéphane Jullien comes in an extremely tense context between Paris and Niamey, since the military coup of July 26 in Niger.
France still considers the overthrown president Mohamed Bazoum, held captive by the junta, as the legitimate head of state, and has so far refused to respond to the putschists’ demands. The latter are demanding the departure of the ambassador to Niamey and have denounced the defense agreements with Paris, which deploys 1,500 soldiers in Niger, a country which was one of its last allies in the Sahel before the coup d’état.