Benin: Journalist Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè returns to prison, Criet confirms his provisional detention

The Beninese judiciary made a decision on Monday, July 14, 2025. The journalist and whistleblower Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè will remain in detention. After his presentation before the Liberty Chamber of the CRIET, the judge for liberty and detention confirmed, at the request of the public prosecutor, the journalist’s provisional detention while his case is reviewed.

Four charges have been leveled against him: “incitement to rebellion,” “incitement to hate and violence,” “harassment through electronic communication,” and “apology for terrorism.”

Just before 2:30 p.m., handcuffed at the wrist, the founder of the online media Olofofo Infos left the courtroom under police escort. Dressed in a vest of the Ouidah civil prison, pants and sneakers, he was immediately taken to the Ouidah civil prison, where he has been incarcerated since his arrival in Benin. According to Libre Express, the case has now been transferred to the examining magistrate.

An arrest that continues to raise questions

Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè was arrested on July 10, 2025, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in his hotel room, before being extradited to Cotonou in a context of official silence from Ivorian authorities.

A political refugee in Togo since 2019, he is known for his virulent posts on social networks, where he has more than 69,000 followers. His online media Olofofo, suspended by the High Audiovisual and Communication Authority (HAAC) in Benin in March 2025, has often been the relay for scathing criticisms against the current regime.