Beninese journalist Hugues Comlan Sossoukpè, known for his criticism of President Patrice Talon, was arrested in Abidjan and extradited to Benin, where he is now being held in Ouidah Civil Prison. The information was confirmed on Sunday by his lawyers.
Sossoukpè, editor-in-chief of the newspaper *Olofofo*, had been living in exile in Lomé, Togo, with refugee status since 2019. He traveled to Abidjan on July 8 at the invitation of the Ivorian Ministry of Digital Transition to participate in a forum on new technologies held from July 9 to 11.
According to his lawyer Charlemagne Dagbedji, the journalist was arrested by Ivorian authorities and immediately handed over to Beninese authorities on July 11. The case has raised concern among human rights advocates.
Local news outlets report that Sossoukpè was brought before the special prosecutor of the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET), and has since been placed under a detention order.
His lawyer, Me Dagbedji, has called for respect for his client’s fundamental rights, including a fair trial, physical integrity, and access to legal counsel and family members.
The West African Human Rights Defenders Network (ROADDH) denounced what it called an « abduction » during the night of July 10 to 11 in Abidjan. As of Sunday evening, neither Beninese nor Ivorian authorities had issued an official statement.
This case is reminiscent of that of Steve Amoussou, a cyber activist critical of the regime, who was abducted in Togo in 2024 and sentenced to two years in prison in Benin. There is growing concern over what many see as increasing repression against dissenting voices in the region.