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| President Mahamadou Issoufou - The president is accused of being authoritarian AFP |
Lawyers in Niger have
started a 24-hour strike to protest against what they call
the arbitrary arrest of government opponents, and the refusal of
authorities to give them access to their clients.
BBC Africa Live report continues:
The
arrests come after President Mahamadou Issoufou last month accused
some senior military officers of trying to overthrow his government, they said.
Opposition
and civil society organizations have complained of intimidation since the
alleged coup attempt.
Tension
is running high in Niger ahead of next month's general election in which
President Issoufou is seeking a second term.
He
is the favourite to win the poll, but critics say he has become increasingly
authoritarian and repressive ahead of the elections.
Niger is rated by the UN as
one of the world's least-developed nations.
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