We know a little more about the arrest of Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè (lawyers)
In a statement released this Sunday, July 13th by the law firm of Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè, we now know a little more about the circumstances of the arrest and detention of the Beninese journalist and activist Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè, who has been exiled to Togo for many years under refugee status.
SUMMARY
According to the lawyers’ account, it was as part of an official invitation from the Ivorian Ministry of Digital Transition, on the occasion of the Ivoire Tech Forum, that Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè left his place of exile in Lomé to travel to Abidjan on July 8, 2025. Received by an official delegation, he was accommodated at the hotel as the editor-in-chief of the media outlet Olofofo. A few days later, on July 11, several Beninese media reported his apprehension by the Ivorian authorities followed by immediate handover to Beninese authorities. This sequence, orchestrated in complete secrecy, took place without official communication from either the Ivorian authorities or the Beninese government.
The lawyers of Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè confirm that he is now being held at the Ouidah Civil Prison. According to their investigations, he would have been presented to the special prosecutor at the Court for the Repression of Economic Offences and Terrorism (CRIET) and placed under arrest warrant. But, a critical point they denounce is that no public declaration from the judiciary institutions has confirmed these steps. This institutional silence is fueling speculation and causing serious concern about the respect of the fundamental rights of the journalist, including his access to a lawyer, his safety, and the integrity of the procedure.
Lawyers sound the alarm
In their statement, the lawyers denounce an “ongoing silence” from the Beninese and Ivorian authorities. They believe that transparency and official communication are essential to protect the rights of their client, who has been a refugee since 2019 under the protection of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The risk of violation of Mr. Sossoukpè’s fundamental freedoms, they underline, is all the more severe as his extradition is in clear contradiction with the Geneva Convention, which protects refugees from any forced return to their home country.
For the law firm, the lack of official information contrasts with the requirements of a rule of law. They condemn a procedure kept secret, which they consider a violation of the Beninese Constitution, the legislative corpus in criminal matters and the international commitments of Benin and Côte d’Ivoire. The journalist’s lawyers demand immediate communication on the situation of their client, respect for his fundamental rights, access to his family and his defenders. They also call on the national and international community to mobilize to ensure that Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè is not the victim of arbitrary or contrary to international standards treatments.
Côte d’Ivoire in the line of fire
The statement also points to the responsibility of the Ivorian state, which would have failed in its duty to guarantee the protection of an internationally recognized refugee. Lawyers warn that no arrest or extradition carried out outside the legal framework could be considered as regular, and that such abuses will one day have to be judged, both at the national and international level.
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