Niger: Junta arrest former Tandja offical

Kassoum Moctar, a Tandja loyalist plucked from obscurity to become Minister of Communications and spokesman during 2009's 6th Republic, was arrested in Niamey today. Apparently he is being held in connection with his continuing public demands that Tandja be freed, and that supporters should pressure the government to this end. Before anyone overly panics, the CSN junta of 1999 got a bit testy with dissent tied to the previous regime. Not that arresting political opponents is acceptable, but it doesn't mark a major change in direction by the interim government, or a real risk to the transition.

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