Gunster Strategies Cites United Nations Human Rights Council on Release of Reckya Madougou

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Dec 06, 2022, 15:24 ET

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.

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SOURCE Gunster Strategies Worldwide