Benin: 12 Months in Prison for Activist Jean Kpoton

Date of Occurrence

January 13, 2021

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Arrested at his home on January 13, 2021, activist Jean Kpoton was set on his fate on Tuesday after a trial. For the acts of “harassment through electronic communication” with which he is accused, he was found guilty and sentenced to 12 months in prison and a fine of 200,000 FCFA.

It should be remembered that Jean Kpoton was arrested on Wednesday, January 13, 2021, at his home in Porto-Novo. Detained before and thrown in prison on January 18, 2021, his trial opened on Tuesday, February 2, 2021. He is accused of a comment on social networks about the front page of a newspaper, according to which Patrice Talon would have rented his private Range Rover to the State for millions of CFA francs as part of his last national tour.

The acts of "harassment through electronic communication" for which he is convicted, are provided for and punished by Law No. 2017-20 on the digital code in the Republic of Benin. Article 550 of the said law condemns through paragraphs 1,2 and 3 any form of harassment through electronic communication. Fines vary from 500,000 FCFA to 10,000,000 FCFA, and prison sentences range from 01 month to 2 years.

Actions Taken

On 18th January 2022, good governance activist Jean Kpoton was released from prison after having served his prison sentence of one year. The activist was arrested on 13th January 2021 and charged with 'harassment by means of electronic communication' under the Digital Code for having claimed, on Facebook, that the car that president Talon used for a cross-country tour cost six million CFA francs (9,660 USD). On 9th February 2021, Kpoton was sentenced to one year imprisonment and a fine of 200,000 CFA francs.