Benin: Opposition activist Julien Kandé Kansou released after presidential pardon

At 34 years old, a writer and student, Julien Kandé Kansou was arrested on June 5, 2025, at his home in Akassato, in the commune of Abomey-Calavi, after several publications on social media deemed critical of the authorities, including one mentioning an anticipated “electoral revolution” in 2026. His party condemned the arrest as arbitrary at the time, while other opposition parties, such as the Nouvelle Force Nationale, characterized the detention as disproportionate.

Held in detention for more than a year, he was brought before the Court for the Suppression of Economic Crimes and Terrorism (CRIET), the special Beninese jurisdiction competent in matters of cybercrime, for acts of harassment via an electronic system and incitement to rebellion. His trial faced several successive postponements, including one rescheduled to January 27, 2026, before the public prosecutor requested two years of imprisonment against him on March 17, 2026.

On April 28, 2026, CRIET ultimately sentenced him to 24 months of imprisonment and a fine of 10 million CFA francs. He had been serving this sentence since then, with his defense arguing that it was merely a peaceful call for civic participation in elections, and not an incitement to rebellion.

His release comes as part of the clemency measures traditionally decreed by the Beninese presidency during the national holiday, which have also benefited other detainees in several prisons across the country. However, this presidential pardon does not legally annul the conviction pronounced by CRIET, but it does terminate the execution of the remaining sentence.

The case of Julien Kandé Kansou falls within a broader context of tensions surrounding freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Benin, regularly flagged by human rights organizations such as Amnesty International in their annual reports. His release, coming ahead of sensitive electoral deadlines, is expected to reignite the debate on the judicial treatment of critical voices of the opposition in the country.