Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè Case: the trial hasn’t started, his lawyer denounces his isolation

Fourteen days after being placed under judicial control at the civil prison of Ouidah, Beninese journalist Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè still has not seen the start of his judicial investigation. His lawyer, Me Barnabé Gbago, laments his isolation and denounces the silence of the investigating judge in such a sensitive case.

The judicial silence is beginning to weigh heavy in the Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè case. Arrested in Abidjan on July 10, extradited to Cotonou, and presented to the prosecutor on the 14th of the same month, the Beninese journalist has been detained for two weeks without any action being taken, according to the remarks from his lawyer, Me Barnabé Gbago.

The counsel visited the civil prison of Ouidah this Friday, July 25th to meet his client. He came out with concerns. “Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè is in isolation in his cell, without a radio, he is cut off from the world,” he lamented in an interview given to Bip radio.

Despite this isolation, the lawyer assures that his client “keeps his spirits high”. Only his brother has been able to visit him since his incarceration.

Isolation, uncertainty, and heavy accusations

Yet, no legal provisions compel judges to initiate an instruction within a specific time frame. “Everything depends on the pace of the investigating judge,” acknowledges Me Gbago. A margin left to the discretion of the justice system, but that becomes a concern when it touches on fundamental freedoms.

Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè is pursued for serious charges including apology for terrorism, incitement to rebellion, incitement to hatred and violence, and harassment by electronic means.

While waiting for the initiation of the investigation, his lawyer hopes for an acceleration of the process to allow the defense to express itself on the substance of the case. For him, the isolation in which the journalist is kept is a major concern for his relatives and his lawyers.