France’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that a French official has been arrested in military-run Niger, and called for the junta to immediately release him.

Military officers in Niger deposed elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July and last month ordered French officials to leave the country — an order that France has refused to heed, saying that Niger’s junta is not the country’s legitimate authority.

The ministry said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that Stephane Jullien, counsellor for French citizens abroad — a non-diplomatic, elected post — was arrested last Friday, and called for his “immediate release.”