Benin: pardoned by President Romuald Wadagni, Julien Kandé Kansou regains freedom.

Julien Kandé Kansou is now free. The activist of the opposition party Les Démocrates is among the beneficiaries of the presidential pardon granted this Saturday, August 1, 2026, by the head of state, Romuald Wadagni, on the occasion of the celebration of the 66th anniversary of Benin’s independence. This measure ends several months of detention.

As a writer, poet, and member of the communication cell of Les Démocrates, Julien Kandé Kansou was arrested on June 5, 2025, and was placed under provisional detention on June 12 by the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET). He was prosecuted for publications disseminated on social media.

After several hearings were postponed, the CRIET rendered its verdict on April 28, 2026. The court sentenced him to 24 months in prison and a fine of 10 million CFA francs for harassment through an electronic system and incitement to rebellion. Throughout the proceedings, Julien Kandé Kansou contested the charges against him and pleaded not guilty.

His presidential pardon comes in a context of national celebration, where the head of state exercised the power granted to him by the Constitution regarding clemency. This decision puts an end to the remainder of his sentence, without calling into question the conviction rendered by the judiciary.

The release of Julien Kandé Kansou is being closely followed by political actors and civil society. Throughout the proceedings, his arrest and subsequent conviction sparked numerous reactions within the opposition, which denounced an infringement on freedom of expression, while judicial authorities maintained that the prosecutions fell under the application of current laws.