There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Benin during the year.
Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: arbitrary arrest or detention; serious abuses in a conflict; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including censorship; transnational repression against individuals in another country; and trafficking in persons.
The government took some credible steps to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses.
Section 1.
There was a report the government or its agents committed an arbitrary or unlawful killing during the year. On November 19, police detained Ouorou Gani Samba Fayçal in Parakou after he refused to unlock his cell phone during a traffic stop. The following day he was found dead outside of the city. The police opened an investigation into Fayçal’s death, suspended the five officers involved, and placed them under house arrest.
There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.
Section 2.
The constitution provided for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, and the government generally respected this right, although media were not fully independent. Many public and private media outlets refrained from openly criticizing government policy.
The government regulated the press and online media. The High...
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