The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and its 15 National Partner organisations in West Africa have petitioned the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Access to Information of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR), Lawrence Mute, on the imprisonment of Beninois journalist, Ignace Sossou.
Sossou, who works with the online media, Benin Web TV, was sentenced on December 24, 2019 to 18 months in prison on a charge of “harassment by means of electronic communication” and fined CFA Francs 200,000 (about US$ 350) after he posted on Twitter and Facebook, part of a speech made by the country’s public prosecutor, who complained that his words had been taken out of context.
The journalists, has so far served four months of the 18-months sentence and is currently appealing the sentence. On May 3, the MFWA and its national partners sent a petition to Commissioner Mute urging him to intervene in the matter to ensure the release of the journalist.
Commissioner Mute has since acknowledged receipt of the petition.
Kindly click here to read the full petition.