Hugues Sossoukpè Case: Ivory Coast Breaks the Silence, Shadows Still Linger
Two weeks after the controversial arrest of Hugues Comlan Sossoukpè in Abidjan, Ivory Coast authorities have finally released their version of the events.
L’activiste béninois Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè arrêté à Lomé et extradé vers Cotonou
At a press briefing held on Wednesday, July 23, the Minister of Communication and spokesperson for the Ivorian government, Amadou Coulibaly, provided clarifications about what human rights defense organizations are calling “kidnapping”.
According to the minister, Ivorian authorities were unaware of the arrest warrant issued against the Beninese journalist activist at the time he was invited to Abidjan by the Ministry of Digitalization at the beginning of July. Similarly, Mr. Sossoukpè’s status as a political refugee was not known to Ivory Coast, he argued.
While acknowledging that the arrest and transfer of the person concerned to Benin were indeed carried out by Ivorian services, the minister, however, denied any irregularity in the procedure:
“No illegal action was undertaken. We simply executed a warrant in the name of judicial cooperation with Benin.”
This official statement, although late, has not cleared up all the questions surrounding this case, which continues to provoke heated debates in diplomatic, legal and media circles. Particularly concerning the speed of the extradition, the rights guarantees offered to the concerned party, and the apparent absence of contradictory procedure.
In Cotonou, the Beninese government is sticking to its position. Its spokesperson, Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji, reaffirmed that the arrest was carried out as part of bilateral judicial cooperation.
Hugues Sossoukpè is being pursued for several offenses, including harassment through a computer system, rebellion and terrorism apology.