RSF’s ten recommendations to Benin’s new president for strengthening press freedom

Benin has fallen 21 places in a year in RSF's World Press Freedom Index, and now ranks 113th out of 180 countries and territories. In all, it has dropped 35 places during the ten years of Patrice Talon's two terms in office (2016-2026). The authorities have suspended a total of 17 Beninese media outlets during this period, often in connection with publications critical of the government or the president. Control is also the order of the day within the public media.

It is against this backdrop that Romuald Wadagni, economy and finance minister during Patrice Talon's two terms in office, was elected with 94% of the vote in the 12 April presidential election, promising continuity. Although his programme includes a section on "reliable media and content that promotes Benin", he has made no firm commitment to safeguarding press freedom.

RSF's ten recommendations to the new Beninese authorities under Romuald Wadagni's presidency:

1. Make promoting press freedom a priority during his term of office
   Romuald Wadagni has the opportunity, particularly during his inauguration speech, to publicly commit to respecting press freedom and to guaranteeing better working conditions for media professionals.
   

2. Release Hugues Comlan Sossoukpè, Ali Moumouni and Pascal Mitowadé
   Journalists currently in detention must be released so that they can resume their work of reporting the news without hindrance. As well as Hugues Comlan Sossoukpè and Ali Moumouni, Pascal Mitowadé, a journalist with the privately-owned daily newspaper La Tribune de la Capitale, was sentenced on 24 March 2026 to five years in prison and a fine of 10 million CFA francs (about 15,000 EUR ) for "apology of crimes against state security", following Facebook posts about an attempted military coup on 7 December 2025. Another journalist, Angela Kpeidja, is also being prosecuted in connection with her Facebook posts about the same coup attempt. Charged with "harassment via electronic communication", she has not been detained pending trial. On 11 May, the prosecution sought a two-year prison sentence for her, one year of which is to be served, along with a fine of one million CFA francs (about 1,500 EUR).
   

3. Reinstate all suspended media outlets and end the arbitrary suspension of critical media
   Some media outlets remain suspended, such as those belonging to the La Gazette du Golfe group. As for the news website Reporter Média Monde, it has been suspended since January 2025. These measures must be lifted immediately.
   

4. Revise the 2017 Digital Code to protect journalists
   This legislation contains provisions that are dangerous for press freedom. Article 550 provides for up to two years' imprisonment for "disseminating false information" or "harassment via electronic communication," offences with vague definitions that could be used against journalists investigating matters of public interest. In 2021, Bénin Web TV journalist Ignace Sossou was sentenced to six months in prison for "harassment" under this code for sharing on social media comments made by a prosecutor during a workshop on disinformation.
   

5. End government interference in public media
   Abolish the editorial committee appointed by the president in January 2024, or reform it to give full control to the editorial teams of the media outlets concerned. It currently consists solely of government officials and is responsible for approving the content of public media outlets under the Benin Radio and Television Corporation (SRTB).
   

6. Guarantee access to official government sources for all journalists in the country, particularly independent journalists
   Since 2016, journalists have found it difficult to obtain data on issues relating to the security situation, internally displaced persons and mining contracts. The Beninese authorities must guarantee fair access to information of public interest and to official sources for all journalists, regardless of their editorial stance.
   

7. Guarantee the media regulator's independence
   Respect the institution's independence from all political power, as provided for in Article 3 of the 2022 Law on the High Authority for Broadcasting and Communication (HAAC). The HAAC must not be used as a tool to sanction critical media outlets, as was the case with L'Audace Info and La Nouvelle Tribune, which were suspended in 2018 after publishing articles relating to the state and its institutions.
   

8. Grant subsidies and tax relief to the media
   Continue to implement public support for the press to underpin the media's economic viability, by granting them fair subsidies. The authorities could also reduce the media's administrative and tax burdens through exemptions.
   

9. Clarify and regulate journalists' access to sensitive areas and border zones
   The authorities must put an end to informal and arbitrary access restrictions in sensitive areas, particularly border zones. Any restrictions imposed for security reasons must be based on clear rules so as not to hinder journalistic work.
   

10. Promote the quality of information by supporting the Journalism Trust Initiative certification
    Recognise RSF's Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) standard as a benchmark for transparency of information and the quality of media sources and encourage an environment conducive to the adoption of certification by Beninese media.