Benin

CPJ research indicates that the following journalists have disappeared while doing their work. Although some of them are feared dead, no bodies have been found, and they are therefore not classified as "Killed." If a journalist disappeared after being held in government custody, CPJ classifies him or her as "Imprisoned" as a way to hold the government accountable for the journalist's fate.

TEMPLATE

New York, December 4, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned at the jailing in Benin of two journalists convicted of criminal defamation.
A court in the capital Cotonou sentenced editor Clément Adéchian and reporter Cécil Adjévi of the private daily L’Informateur to six months in prison on December 2. It also fined them CFA francs 500,000 (US$1,000), according to CPJ sources and media reports. They were jailed the same day.

New York, February 21, 2007--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns criminal convictions handed down on Friday in Benin against three journalists and an executive of private Golfe media group over a February 2005 story alleging governmental corruption.

A court in the capital Cotonou sentenced Golfe media group President Ismael Soumano, former Golfe FM Director Euloge Aïdasso, former Director Joel Ahofojji and former Golfe TV Editorial Chronicler Charbel Aïhou to six months in prison and heavy damages and fines on criminal defamation charges, according to local journalists. The charges stem from a story alleging that the sacking of former Housing Minister Luc Gnacadja by then-President Mathieu Kérékou was linked to his mismanagement of a public housing project, according to the same sources. The journalists are free pending an appeal, according to defense lawyer Magloire Yansunnu.

New York, February 9, 2007—An appeals court in the capital Cotonou released today two journalists of a private daily newspaper after they publicly retracted a rape story. They were jailed since December 2, 2006 on a six-month criminal libel sentence.

Director Clément Adéchian and reporter Cécil Adjévi of L’Informateur were released after agreeing to an out-of-court settlement with plaintiff Maxime Bankolé over an August 29, 2006 story alleging that Bankolé, a court bailiff, had raped a widow, acting Director Franck Pocheme told CPJ. Bankolé withdrew his complaint after the journalists made public apologies in the media and signed an agreement to pay him 5 million CFA francs (US$10,000) in damages, Adéchian later told CPJ.

New York, December 4, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned at the jailing in Benin of two journalists convicted of criminal defamation.
A court in the capital Cotonou sentenced editor Clément Adéchian and reporter Cécil Adjévi of the private daily L’Informateur to six months in prison on December 2. It also fined them CFA francs 500,000 (US$1,000), according to CPJ sources and media reports. They were jailed the same day.

September 18, 2006
Posted: September 22, 2006

Cyril Saïzonou, Djakpata
HARASSED

Police arrested Saïzonou, director of the private daily Djakpata, and questioned him about articles published in the September 1 and September 8 editions of the paper, according to CPJ sources. Several articles were critical of the police, while another alleged that a top government official was a spy.

September 15, 2006
Posted: September 22, 2006

Virgil Linkpon, La Diaspora de Sabbat
Fulric Richard Couao-Zotti, La Diaspora de Sabbat
IMPRISONED

Linkpon and Couao-Zotti, respectively managing editor and editor of the private weekly La Diaspora de Sabbat, were arrested in connection with a story about the president’s family, according to CPJ sources in the capital Cotonou.

New York, August 19, 2004—At least four Beninese reporters face criminal defamation charges and two of them have already spent time in prison this year—the first journalists to be imprisoned for their work since 1996 in the West African nation.

The defendants include Patrick Adjamonsi, publication director of the private daily L'Aurore, who was released today after spending six days in prison. Adjamonsi, whose original sentence was overturned, faces a new trial in the fall.