PORTO-NOVO, Benin, Dec. 6, 2022
/PRNewswire/ -- As the wrongful imprisonment of Beninese politician
and humanitarian Reckya Madougou approaches two years and leaders
from the African continent head to Washington D.C. for a leadership summit with
President Joe Biden, Gunster
Strategies Worldwide implores the government of Benin and the international community to
acknowledge this ongoing undermining of democracy in West Africa and act upon the recent findings
of the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on
Arbitrary Detention to secure her "immediate and unconditional
release."
Among the core, incontrovertible findings from the United
Nations Human Rights Council:
- Madougou's detention had no legal basis.
- Her arrest resulted from the lawful exercise of her civil and
political rights.
- She did not benefit from the right to an impartial and
independent tribunal.
- She did not benefit from the presumption of innocence.
- She could not communicate confidentially with her lawyers upon
her arrest.
- She was not given time or facilities to prepare a defense.
The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention went so far as to
demand the opening of an independent investigation into the
circumstances of her "arbitrary deprivation of liberty" to grant
her compensation and to seek and sanction those responsible for
this situation.
Given that just one year ago this month, Madougou declared
herself a lawfully supported Presidential candidate in opposition
to Patrice Talon, the only reasonable conclusion that can be drawn
is that imprisonment of Reckya Madougou is a blatant tactic by
President Talon to stifle and silence legitimate political
opposition.
"In working with Reckya for years, I can attest both personally
and professionally to her character, professionalism and desire to
make a difference in Benin,"
Gunster Strategies founder Gerry
Gunster said. "As a candidate, she was well on her way to
being the next President of Benin,
and President Talon's imprisonment of her shows just how widespread
her support has been to elicit such a draconian reaction."
In the coming days, leaders from across the African continent
will converge on Washington, D.C.
for the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. We encourage political
leaders from across Africa - as
well as President Joe Biden and U.S.
Department of State - to actively press President Talon on his
wrongful imprisonment of Reckya Madougou and insist on his
follow-through on the United Nations Human Rights Council's
clear-eyed recommendations promoting basic standards of democracy
in Benin.
Media Contact
Kaelyn
Petrides
Kaelyn@gunsterstrategies.com
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SOURCE Gunster Strategies Worldwide