Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè: his lawyers speak up and provide details
This urgent and critical press release is made publicly available as a precaution, pending an official announcement detailing the actions taken by the Lawyers’ College to shed light on Mr. Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè’s true situation.
The undersigned Lawyers’ College expresses deep concern regarding the particularly worrying situation of Mr. Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè, a Beninese journalist, human rights defender, whistleblower, currently exiled in Lomé (Togo) and granted refugee status according to the Geneva Convention of July 28, 1951, relative to the status of refugees, since 2019.
Background and Worrying Developments
- Invited by the Ivorian Ministry of Digital Transition and Digitization to participate in the Ivory Tech Forum, Mr. Sossoukpè arrived in Abidjan on July 8, 2025, where he was welcomed and settled by an official delegation of organizers, in his capacity as a journalist and Publication Director of Olofofo Newspaper.
- Starting from July 11, 2025, several Beninese press outlets, relayed by social media, reported his arrest by the Ivorian authorities, followed by his immediate handover to the Beninese authorities.
- According to these sources, he was presented to the Special Prosecutor of the Court for the Repression of Economic Crimes and Terrorism of Benin (CRIET) and had an arrest warrant issued.
- In fact, Mr. Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè is currently detained at the civilian prison of Ouidah (Benin).
- Intriguingly, no official statement has been made by the Beninese or Ivorian government authorities, let alone by the judiciary of these two states, leading to increasing concern and many questions regarding Mr. Sossoukpè’s physical integrity and respect for his fundamental rights as mandated by a regular procedure in a state governed by law.
Our Major Concerns
- The persistent silence of the Beninese and Ivorian authorities in the face of the gravity of the situation, even though transparency and official communication are critical to Mr. Sossoukpè’s rights protection.
- The serious risk of infringement upon the fundamental rights and freedoms of Mr. Sossoukpè, including his right to international protection as a recognized refugee in Togo, to a fair trial, security, and dignity, as a committed journalist and determined whistleblower. Neither the Beninese nor the Ivorian state can ignore that the status granted to Mr. SOSSOUKPE is incompatible with any possible extradition to his home country.
- The complete absence of official information from the authorities, despite the gravity of the situation, sharply contrasts with demands for transparency and respect for the rule of law. This silence fuels speculation, accentuates the anguish of Mr. Sossoukpè’s loved ones, and damages faith in the institutions and particularly in the judicial system. The deliberate choice to keep the procedure against our client secret constitutes a blatant violation of the Benin Constitution of December 11, 1990, as well as all judicial statutes regarding criminal matters.
Our Solemn Demands
Acting as Mr. Sossoukpè’s defense attorneys, we demand:
- The immediate and detailed communication from the Beninese and Ivorian authorities about Mr. Sossoukpè’s exact situation, with regards to his arrest and detention and the procedural safeguards implemented;
- The utmost respect for his fundamental rights, in accordance with the Beninese Constitution, international conventions ratified by Benin and Ivory Coast, and his status as a beneficiary of international protection;
- Effective access to his counsel, his family and human rights defense organizations, to ensure respect for his dignity, security, and procedural rights;
- The mobilization of the national and international community to ensure that Mr. Sossoukpè is not subjected to any arbitrary measure, inhuman or degrading treatments, or procedures particularly contrary to international standards;
Call for Responsibility
We solemnly call on the relevant authorities to act with responsibility, transparency, and humanity, and to reassure public opinion by clarifying Mr. Sossoukpè’s situation without delay.
We note with the gravity it imposes, that the Ivorian State has failed in its essential and inalienable duty to guarantee effective protection to anyone under the international protection of a third state, in accordance with its international commitments and the spirit of the right to asylum.
The Lawyers’ College remains fully mobilized and determined to defend Mr. Sossoukpè’s rights, in the interest of justice, freedom of expression, and respect for the rule of law.
Final Clarification
We strongly clarify that any arrest of Mr. Sossoukpè carried out in violation of his status as an international protectee, outside of any regular judicial procedure and without lawyer assistance, can under no circumstance be considered an arrest, extradition or provisional detention in the legal sense.
This is an abuse, and the instigators and accomplices will have to answer to the competent jurisdictions, both nationally and internationally, today and tomorrow.
Signatures:
- Me Dossou B. Stanic ADJACOTAN, Lawyer at the Court, Bar of Seine Saint Denis
- Me Charlemagne DAGBEDJI, Lawyer at the Court, Paris Bar
- Me Ellie DOVONOU, Lawyer at the Court, Benin Bar
- Me Barnabé GBAGO, Lawyer at the Court, Benin Bar
- Me Hervis MIKPONHOU, Lawyer at the Court, Benin Bar
- Me Gameli NOUWADE, Lawyer at the Court, Paris Bar
- Me Maximil POGNON, Lawyer at the Court, Benin Bar