Benin: Journalist Patrick Adjamonsi released, journalists face retrial

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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PRESS RELEASE/UPDATE - BENIN

20 August 2004

Journalist Patrick Adjamonsi released, journalists face retrial

SOURCE: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), New York

**New cases and update to IFEX alert of 18 August 2004; for further
information on the Hounkonnou case, see alerts of 4 May, 30 April, 23 and 19
March 2004**

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 19 August 2004 CPJ press release:

BENIN: For first time since '96, journalists imprisoned for their work

New York, August 19, 2004 - At least four Beninese reporters face criminal
defamation charges and two of them have already spent time in prison this
year - the first journalists to be imprisoned for their work since 1996 in
the West African nation.

The defendants include Patrick Adjamonsi, publication director of the
private daily L'Aurore, who was released today after spending six days in
prison. Adjamonsi, whose original sentence was overturned, faces a new trial
in the fall.

The charges against Adjamonsi stem from an article he wrote for L'Aurore in
November 2003, which criticized the distribution of government subsidies for
the private press by Benin's communications authority La Haute Autorité de
l'Audiovisuel et de la Communication (HAAC). According to local sources, the
article alleged the subsidies were not properly distributed, and suggested
their distribution could have been influenced by corruption.

In February, 2004, two administrative employees of the HAAC, Amélie Amoussou
and Noël Sohouénou, pressed defamation charges against Adjamonsi. On June 8,
Adjamonsi was sentenced to six months in prison and a symbolic fine of one
CFA franc (less than one U.S. cent). According to local sources, Adjamonsi
was not present at his trial and had not hired a lawyer, so the conviction
and sentencing took place in absentia.

On August 13, Adjamonsi was arrested and imprisoned in Cotonou, Benin's
largest city. A lawyer subsequently hired by the journalist successfully
challenged the sentence on procedural grounds. The court ordered a retrial,
for which a hearing has been scheduled on October 19.

Amoussou and Sohouénou also pressed charges against two other journalists,
stemming from an article in the private daily La Pyramide on the
distribution of press subsidies. John Akintola, the author, and Christophe
Hodonou, publication director of La Pyramide, were sentenced July 20 in
absentia to six months in prison and a fine of one CFA franc. Their
sentences were also overturned on procedural grounds, and the warrant for
their arrest was rescinded today. They also face retrial, with the first
hearing on October 19.

Jean-Baptiste Hounkonnou, publication director for the independent daily Le
Nouvel Essor, continues to face criminal defamation charges for an article
published in December 2003. Hounkonnou was imprisoned on March 16 after he
received a six-month prison sentence for defamation, but was granted a
provisional release in May after he appealed. His case is ongoing and he
could face additional imprisonment if his appeal is rejected. (See CPJ's
alerts: http://www.cpj.org/news/2004/Benin22mar04na.html and
http://www.cpj.org/news/2004/Benin03may04na.html)

"It is troubling that two journalists have been imprisoned on defamation
charges so far this year, the first journalists to be imprisoned for their
work in Benin since 1996," CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said. "Benin
should live up to its reputation for upholding press freedom by removing
criminal penalties for press offenses."

CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to
safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit
http://www.cpj.org.

For further information, contact Africa Program Coordinator Julia Crawford
or Research Associate Adam Posluns at CPJ, 330 Seventh Ave., New York, NY
10001, U.S.A., tel: +1 212 465 1004, fax: +1 212 465 9568, e-mail:
[email protected], Internet: http://www.cpj.org/

The information contained in this press release/update is the sole
responsibility of CPJ. In citing this material for broadcast or publication,
please credit CPJ.
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