The rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly were unduly restricted; journalists and health workers were unjustly prosecuted, harassed and intimidated. The police used excessive force while policing demonstrations and enforcing public health restrictions. Discrimination against women...

Investigative journalist Ignace Sossou was freed from Cotonou prison on 24 June after having served six months in arbitrary detention. On 19 May, the Cotonou Court of Appeal reduced his original 18-month prison sentence to 12 months, including six months suspended. He was sentenced to prison and...

On 19 May, the Cotonou Court of Appeal reduced the sentence against investigative journalist, Ignace Sossou, to 12 months in prison, including six months suspended. He was first sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined for “harassment” on 24 December 2019 for tweets quoting the Public Prosecutor...

On 24 December 2019, investigative journalist Ignace Sossou was sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined for “harassment” by a court in Benin for posting tweets quoting Benin’s Public Prosecutor during a conference hosted by the French media development agency CFI. The Public Prosecutor alleged...

Casimir Kpedjo, the managing editor of the newspaper ‘New Economy’ (Nouvelle Economie), was charged with publishing “false information’’ on 23 April. The charge is in relation to articles from the New Economy newspaper that Casimir shared on Facebook about the economic situation in Benin. He has...

Oyedele Noureimi, Watchinou Sokenou, Zinsou Jules, Bankole Fatai, Saibou Latifou, Yedenou Dedewanou, Ogbon Issa Soule and Elegbede Ganiou: The eight above-named people were sentenced to death in early October 1998 after being convicted of armed robbery and murder. There is no further appeal against...

The more than 3,000 refugees from Liberia on board the Bulk Challenge have been allowed off the freighter in the Ghanaian port of Takoradi and their situation is under review by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Some 3,500 refugees from the war in Liberia, who fled on the freighter Bulk Challenge, are in danger of being forcibly returned to Liberia where their lives may be at risk. They have already been refused the right to seek asylum in Cote d’Ivoire and may be denied this right in Ghana, in violation...