Benin: the confidences of a close associate of Hugues Sossoukpè on his detention conditions

Director of the online media Olofofo.info, Hugues Comlan Sossoukpè was living in exile in Togo, where he held refugee status. His media outlet, known for its critical publications regarding the regime of Patrice Talon, had been banned in Benin. The journalist had notably documented and criticized the 2019 legislative elections, organized without the main opposition parties.

His arrest dates back to July 2025. Invited to Côte d’Ivoire to cover the first edition of the Ivoire Tech Forum, scheduled from July 9 to 11, Hugues Sossoukpè was apprehended in Abidjan at his hotel before being transferred to Cotonou. Press and human rights organizations denounced the conditions surrounding this operation, asserting that it did not respect the guarantees related to his refugee status.

Upon arriving in Benin, the journalist was detained at the civil prison of Ouidah. According to reports by L’Alternative, he is being prosecuted for harassment via a computer system, rebellion, and glorification of terrorism. However, nearly a year after his arrest, his relatives lament the absence of a trial and say there has been no visible progress in the case.

According to the relative quoted by the newspaper, Hugues Sossoukpè was initially subjected to a strict isolation period. For several months, he reportedly had no access to his family or lawyers. This isolation was said to have ended last January, but his detention conditions are still highly restricted.

The relative mentions “conditions of criminal confinement.” According to their testimony, the journalist only goes out to the yard three times a week to stretch his legs. Visits are also very limited. The relative claims to be able to see him only once a week, for a brief exchange of just a few minutes.

Just my rights

Despite these restrictions, Hugues Sossoukpè is trying to stay strong mentally. “Hugues is holding up,” confides his relative, who emphasizes that the journalist prays a lot and avoids complaining. He does not ask for special treatment but wishes for “his rights as a political detainee to be respected.”

The same relative describes a discreet man, not inclined to expose his suffering. According to him, Hugues Sossoukpè talks little about his state of mind and prefers to reassure those around him. When asked about his situation, he would simply respond: “I’m okay or I will be.”

For his relatives, this attitude reflects a desire to face the situation with dignity. However, they remain concerned about the duration of his pretrial detention and the lack of clarity regarding the next steps in the proceedings. In their view, the case seems stalled, while the journalist remains deprived of freedom for nearly a year now.

It should be noted that Reporters Without Borders had already denounced his arrest and transfer to Benin, while FIDH and OMCT had classified the operation as abduction and arbitrary detention. The journalist’s relatives primarily demand that his rights be respected and that his legal situation be clarified.