Gilbert Déou Malé: “Benin has no political prisoners”
Appearing on Daabaaru TV’s show Unpacking, the counselor to the minister of justice and foreign affairs, Gilbert Déou Malé, asserted that Benin holds no political prisoners.
SUMMARY
According to his statements, conveyed during this interview with journalist Barnabas Orou Kouman, people incarcerated for various offenses cannot be labeled as political prisoners, even if they come from the political world.
“When a politician is prosecuted for theft or embezzlement, it’s simply a politician in prison, not a political prisoner,” he clarified, warning against a manipulation of political status for personal gain.
He reminded that belonging to a political group or holding a public office cannot be a pretext for evading the law.
Cases of Boko, Madougou, Aïvo…
Regarding the highly-publicized cases for the severity of penalties such as those of Reckya Madougou, Joël Aïvo, Oswald Homéky and Olivier Boko, Gilbert Déou Malé indicated that magistrates make their decisions based on the severity of the presented facts.
“Not all prisoners have been sentenced to 20 years,” he nuanced, adding that the initiated prosecutions are a result of failure to defend certain accused actions, not a disagreement with the political line of the current power.
The adviser minister also underscored that Beninese justice operates independently. He mentioned the case of Candide Azannaï, known for his critical views of the government, but who has faced no legal proceedings, exemplifying that political opposition is not a reason for arrest.
In conclusion, Gilbert Déou Malé insisted that any statement or action that could disturb public order could lead to arrests, regardless of the status or political affiliation of the author.
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