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Benin jails second key opposition figure in less than a week

December 11, 2021

A court in Benin has convicted Reckya Madougou of what critics says are politically-motivated charges. They accuse President Patrice Talon's regime of pushing Benin into authoritarianism.

https://p.dw.com/p/447fY
Reckya Madougou
Reckya Madougou was found guilty of "complicity in terrorist acts" by the Economic Crime and Terrorism Court, or CrietImage: Erick Christian Ahounou/AFP

Benin opposition politician and former justice minister Reckya Madougou was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Saturday before a special court in the capital Porto-Novo.

Madougou, 47, was a minister under the previous president Boni Yayi.

She went on trial on Friday and was found guilty of "complicity in terrorist acts" by the Economic Crime and Terrorism Court, or CRIET.

Her conviction came after more than 20 hours of hearing.

"This court has deliberately decided to penalize an innocent person," Madougou said shortly before her prison sentence was announced.

"I have never been, and I will never be a terrorist."

Robert Dossou, one of her lawyers, told news agency AFP: "It's a sad day for our justice system, I maintain that there is no proof."

Reckya Madougou (right) at the entrance area of the electoral commission in Cotonou, Benin, with Eric Houndete (left)
Reckya Madougou (right) was arrested in March, just before the election from which she was disqualifiedImage: DW

Declining democracy

Earlier this week, CRIET sentenced Joel Aivo, another key opposition figure, to 10 years in jail.

The court was set up in 2016 and has been accused by critics of being used by President Patrice Talon's regime to crack down on the opposition and push the West African nation toward authoritarianism.

Some prominent opposition leaders have fled the country and live in exile in France or the United States.

Madougou, one of the opposition members barred from running in the elections in April, was arrested in March after being accused of trying to disrupt the ballot and destabilize the country.

The former French colony was long praised for its thriving multi-party democracy in a troubled region.

But critics argue that under President Talon Benin's democracy has been steadily eroded.

The 63-year-old cotton magnate was first elected in 2016 and won re-election this year.

adi/ (AFP, LUSA)