Drop Trumped-Up Charges Against Cotonou 21 And Reversal of the Judgement
31st May,2024
The Ambassador of Benin in Nigeria,
Paulette Marcelline Adjovi-Yekpe,
Plot 328,
Constitution Avenue (Embassy Zone),
Central Business District,
Abuja,
Nigeria
Dear Sir/Ma,
PROTEST LETTER
DROP TRUMPED-UP CHARGES AGAINST COTONOU 21 AND REVERSAL OF THE JUDGEMENT
The above named organisation writes to demand immediate and unconditional dropping of charges against 21 workers that were arrested and tried on trump up charges by the government of Beninese.
According to the report, they’re arrested on 1st of May, 2024, on their way to a mass protest called by the CSTB against poor living standard in Benin Republic. Those who were arrested were initially about 50, but few of them were released while 21 others were charged to court.
It’s unfortunate that 20 workers concerned were sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment though suspended, which allowed their release, and 1 sentenced to three months of firm prison. The WYSN writes to condemn this attacks on workers and demand that the Patrice Talon government must stop this attack immediately.
May Day globally is a workers’ day celebration worldwide, where workers rally against poor living standards, casualization, and increased wages. Here in Nigeria, we joined workers across the country in solidarity. Instead of the Patrice Talon government should stop economic war on the people, the government moved forward to oppress the people.
The decision of the Beninese government to arrest peaceful protesters and their leaders is an attempt to put fears inside ordinary Beninese people who are suffering from a misrule of the government.
We’re completely opposed to what the Patrice Talon government is doing to the people. The reality is that the people will always rise against dictatorship and totalitarianism that the government represents. For this reason, we demand dropping of all charges against the Cotonou 21 and immediate reversal of the judgment.
We’re monitoring the situation if the government failed to reversed this trump up charges we will call for international Solidarity and all embassy of Benin Republic government should be preparing to welcome our protest at the embassies across the world.
Dimeji Macaulay
National Organiser