Benin cyberactivist Steve Amoussou freed after two-year sentence

Beninese cyberactivist Steve Amoussou has been released after serving a two-year prison sentence for charges including politically motivated insult and spreading false news. His case had become a prominent test of the government's treatment of critics and online dissent.

Steve Amoussou was released Thursday after completing a two-year sentence, his lawyer and a relative confirmed.

Amoussou's prosecution was closely watched in Benin, where opposition figures and government critics have accused authorities of tightening restrictions on dissent.

His lawyer, Boubacar Baparape, confirmed the release to AFP.

"I have no words. Steve is free. That's what matters most," a relative said.

Convicted over critical account

Amoussou was convicted of "politically motivated insult" and "spreading false news" in a case linked to the anonymous online account known as "Frere Hounvi".

The account gained a substantial following for audio messages critical of former President Patrice Talon's government.

Amoussou has consistently denied being behind the account.

He was arrested in neighbouring Togo in August 2024 and transferred to Benin. His lawyers described the operation as an abduction.

His trial opened two months later at the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism, known as CRIET.

Sentence upheld on appeal

Amoussou was initially accused of broader offences including online harassment and incitement to rebellion.

He was sentenced to two years in prison in June 2025, with the verdict upheld by an appeals court in December.

His release comes after he completed the term imposed by the courts.

Critics jailed in recent years

Amoussou's case is part of a wider pattern involving government critics who have faced prosecution or lengthy prison sentences in recent years.

Former opposition leaders Reckya Madougou and Joel Aivo, former sports minister Oswald Homeky and businessman Olivier Boko, once a close ally of Talon, have all received prison sentences of at least 10 years.

Another opposition figure, Julien Kande Kansou, was released earlier this month after receiving a presidential pardon from President Romuald Wadagni, who succeeded Talon in April.

Political tensions remain

Authorities have also detained around 30 people, including members of the military and political figures, following an alleged coup attempt uncovered in December.

The release of Amoussou removes one high-profile case from the prison system, but broader questions remain over political freedoms, online speech and the treatment of dissent in the country.