Mr Dandois [l] and Mr Cression [r] have been in custody for a month

Pierre Cression and his colleague Thomas Dandois could face the death penalty if found guilty of undermining state safety by contacting rebels.

Only Mr Cression appeared at the hearing which was closed to the public, his lawyer said.

The TV reporters were arrested in December, accused of filming the Niger Justice Movement (MNJ).

Mr Dandois, who has dual French and British nationality, is due to appear on Wednesday, the BBC's Idy Baraou in Niamey says. Mr Dandois' brother was at the preliminary court hearing where he said he hoped the two journalists would have an opportunity to put their side of the story.

"It's a stressful situation, but we've been told they're being well treated in prison. We know Niger is a good country," Mark Dandois told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

'Shocking footage'

Footage the French pair shot will be screened in the court, their lawyer Moussa Coulibaly told the AFP news agency.

According to Niger military sources it includes "shocking" scenes of captured Niger soldiers in chains, their faces clearly visible, AFP reported.

The journalists, who work for the Franco-German TV channel Arte, had permission to film in central and southern Niger for a report on bird flu but also travelled north to interview the MNJ, according to the Niamey authorities.

They were arrested on 17 December, since when they have been in custody.

Moussa Kaka, a local reporter for Radio France International (RFI), also faces the death penalty, accused of collaborating with the rebels.

Our correspondent says his trial began on Tuesday, but the journalist did not appear in court.

The government banned all contact with the MNJ after it began fighting in February last year.

But the government says Mr Kaka conducted phone conversations with rebel leaders. The supreme court will rule if recordings of these interviews are admissible in evidence.