Benin: Journalist Ali Moumouni Remains Detained Over a Year Without Trial
[MFWA] More than a year after his arrest, Ali Moumouni, a former journalist with private broadcaster Canal 3, remains detained at Cotonou Civil Prison, with no judgment delivered in his case.
Nearly a year after his arrest, Ali Moumouni, a former journalist for private broadcaster Canal 3, remains imprisoned in Cotonou Civil Prison without facing trial. He was charged for alleged collaboration with the online media site Olofofo, founded by journalist Hugues Comlan Sossoukpé, a political refugee in Togo who was forcibly repatriated to Benin after being abducted in Abidjan.
Moumouni was apprehended on July 16, 2025, during a journalism training session at Sainte Rita College in Cotonou. He was then taken to the National Centre for Digital Investigations and later transferred to the Cotonou port police station before being held in custody at Cotonou Civil Prison on July 21, 2025, on orders from the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET).
The charges against him include incitement to violence and rebellion, harassment through electronic communications, and glorification of terrorism. A source close to the case, speaking to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), revealed that Moumouni's arrest is tied to investigations into Sossoukpé. Following an examination of Sossoukpé's phone, investigators reportedly identified Moumouni as one of his contacts and discovered that he frequently sent him information and images from the field.
These communications reportedly led authorities to suspect Moumouni of collaborating with Olofofo. Moumouni's initial hearing was scheduled for March 25, 2026, but it was halted due to his declining health. No judgment has been delivered as of the publication date, and Moumouni continues to remain in detention at Cotonou Civil Prison.
The MFWA urges Beninese judicial authorities to release Moumouni and dismiss any charges arising from his journalistic activity, emphasizing that his prolonged pretrial detention conflicts with Benin's obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The organization also reiterates its call for the release of Sossoukpé, who has been held in detention since his abduction in July 2025 and subsequent return to Benin. The MFWA demands clarity on his legal status and full respect for his rights. Additionally, the MFWA urges Beninese authorities to cease using the Digital Code and anti-terrorism provisions to prosecute journalists and their sources.
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