Benin urged to free two jailed journalists

Fifty west African journalists and Reporters Without Borders called Friday for Benin to release two journalists who have been jailed for the past year.

The appeal came on the first anniversary of the arrest of Hugues Comlan Sossoukpe, a Beninese journalist and government critic. Sossoukpe had been living in exile in Togo when he was arrested on July 10, 2025, while attending a conference in Ivory Coast, then taken to Benin and jailed.

Reporters Without Borders has condemned Sossoukpe's transfer as a “kidnapping”. Six days after his arrest, journalist Ali Moumouni was also arrested and accused of being Sossoukpe's collaborator.

The rights group said the two men face charges including online harassment and defence of terrorism.

In a letter published in Jeune Afrique, the journalists and Reporters Without Borders called on President Romuald Wadagni to ensure their release. They said no trial date had been set for either man and warned that Sossoukpe was in a worrying situation because he has eye problems and has had no access to an ophthalmologist.