France: Beninese activist Kemi Seba freed

"Those who want to dim our light will have to wait," it is with these words that activist Kemi Seba announced Thursday (Oct. 17) on X forerly Twitter that he had regained his freedom.

The Beninese who is in his forties spent almost four days in custody at the headquarters of the French interior security agency (DGSI) in Paris.

In a press conference Wednesday (Oct. 16), his lawyer Juan Branco said Seba was being questioned within the frame of an inquiry into two charges "collusion with a foreign power [...] with the aim to foster hostility or acts of aggression against France"; and "maintaining ties with a foreign power [...] which can damage the fundamentals interests of the nation".

Both infractions are punishable by at least 10 years of imprisonment.

French newspaper Le Monde reported that Seba who was born Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, is not currently being prosecuted.

The media outlet cited the Paris public prosecution.

Seba who has been a vocal critic of neo-colonialism in Africa was taken into custody on Monday (Oct. 14) while having lunch with a colleague at a restaurant.

Branco denounced a "violent arrest".

The organization Seba founded, Urgences Panafricanistes, said in a statement that the Beninese national was in Paris to visit a sick relative and hold meetings with members of the Beninese opposition.

He was arrested with a close ally Hery Djehuty who was also freed.

Seba who was born in France was stripped of his nationality last July.

He had moved out of the country years ago to relocate to West Africa with his wife and children.