Benin: the journalist Olivier Allochémé sentenced to 12 months in prison with a suspended sentence

Journalist Olivier Allochémé regained his freedom following his trial before the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET).

Detained at Abomey-Calavi Civil Prison since October 16, 2025, the editor-in-chief of the daily L’Événement Précis was released following the decision handed down by the CRIET’s Second Criminal Chamber.

Charged with publishing false information on social media, Olivier Allochémé had been placed in preventive detention following an editorial published on June 10, 2025 on his Facebook page. Titled ‘L’UPR, it’s over’.

The text spoke of supposed tensions between the President of the Republic Patrice Talon and former President of the National Assembly Adrien Houngbédji. The journalist claimed, in particular, the existence of surveillance exercised on the latter, statements that motivated his arrest.

First presented before the CRIET on Thursday, October 30, 2025, the hearing had been limited to his arraignment before a postponement to December 11. However, this hearing could not take place due to events linked to the attempted coup d’État that occurred on December 7.

Subsequently reprogrammed, the hearing finally allowed the court to rule on the merits of the case.
After the debates, the Court sentenced Olivier Allochémé to twelve months’ imprisonment with a suspended sentence accompanied by a fine of one million CFA francs.

This decision allows him to immediately regain his freedom. According to his entourage, he was able to join his family and celebrate Christmas.

After his arrest, the journalist had deleted the incriminated column and publicly apologized to the President of the Republic.