Nigerien judicial authorities arrested and detained Gazali Abdou Tasawa, a correspondent for the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), on January 23, 2026, following a brief interrogation at a police station in Niamey.
DW said it had not been informed of the reasons for his arrest and immediately sought legal assistance. “We remain in close contact with our correspondent’s relatives, a Nigerian lawyer and other relevant services,” the broadcaster stated on its website.
Eight days earlier, on January 15, 2026, Gazali Abdou Tasawa had reported on the situation of Nigerian refugees sleeping on the streets near a cemetery in Niamey. It remains unclear whether the report is linked to his arrest.
An anonymous Nigerien source who spoke to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) suggested that the journalist may have been targeted for articles perceived as critical of the Nigerien authorities’ governance. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to work freely. Journalists feel pressured in the way they report,” the source said.
DW’s Programme Director, Nadja Scholz, stressed the importance of media freedom, stating: “We must ensure that our employees can do their work as journalists freely and without intimidation.”
At the time of writing, no official statement had been issued by the Nigerien authorities clarifying the legal basis for the arrest.
The MFWA is concerned about the continued detention of Gazali Abdou Tasawa and its potential implications for press freedom in Niger. The organisation calls on the authorities to ensure full respect for due process, clarify the charges against him, and guarantee that journalists are able to carry out their professional duties without fear of intimidation or arbitrary detention.
