Ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum has appealed to the West African bloc Ecowas’s court for his release, his lawyer has said.

A suit was filed with the court on Monday demanding Mr Bazoum’s release and reinstatement as president following his “arbitrary arrest” and “violation of freedom of movement” following the coup in July, his lawyer Seydou Diagne said.

“We request… in view of the violation of political rights, that the state of Niger be ordered to immediately restore constitutional order by handing over power to President Bazoum, who must continue to exercise it until the end of his mandate,” he is quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.

His wife and son, who are also being detained by the military junta, are named in the application, the Associated Press reports.

Ecowas has threatened military intervention to restore Mr Bazoum to power if diplomatic efforts fail.