Toward a grassroots feminist movement against imperialism, Zionism, and reaction, and for the liberation of women and peoples
The Pan Africanism Today Secretariat stands in firm solidarity with the working people of Benin and the Communist Party of Benin (PCB) as they are confronted by an escalation of what appears to be politically motivated victimisation. As of the morning of 18 March, we have received reports of yet another arbitrary arrest of a PCB member, adding to a dozen comrades currently languishing in detention under heavy sentences or awaiting “trials” that are nothing more than political theatre.
The escalating repression under the colonial puppet regime of Patrice Talon has reached a fever pitch. What began as the harassment of activists has transformed into a systematic campaign of state-led violence, abuse and lawfare. We state clearly: It is not a crime to hold a view on the direction of one’s country; in fact, this should be celebrated as patriotic and responsible citizenship. The right to express oneself, to organise, and to protest is a fundamental human right that no dictatorial rule can strip away.
We uphold the core struggle of the Beninese people and the PCB, namely: defence of Benin’s national sovereignty. We recognise that the systematic attack on the PCB is a strategic manoeuvre by imperialist powers. The Party is being targeted precisely because it stands as the most consistent political barrier to the transformation of Benin into a total neo-colonial enclave.
By resisting the entrenchment of foreign interests, the PCB asserts that the people of Benin—not France, the United States, or their local proxies—must be the sole masters of their territory, their resources, and their aspirations. To criminalise the PCB is to criminalise the very idea of an independent Africa.
In a context where France has been rightfully expelled from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), it is clear that French and U.S. imperialism are clinging onto their remaining footholds. Under Patrice Talon, Benin has been positioned as a launching pad for imperialist interference throughout West Africa.
The exaggerated repression of our comrades is a coordinated effort to protect these imperialist interests. The PCB is being targeted for its outspoken opposition to foreign military bases and for rejecting French imperialism in Benin, the broader Sahel region, and the African continent at large.
The regime has also now pivoted to a more sinister form of “requalifying facts.” Since the events of December 2025, the Talon administration has used an attempted coup d’état as a blanket pretext to silence all dissent. Comrades originally detained for denouncing French military bases have received fabricated charges and are now being tried for “glorifying a coup.” When no evidence of involvement is found, the state simply invents new charges to ensure continued detention. This is not the “rule of law”; it is a witch hunt. The PCB is being scapegoated because it refuses to accept the closing of all avenues for democratic expression and popular mass action.
We cannot accept a reality in 2026 where those who defend sovereignty are treated as criminals. We therefore demand:
- The immediate release of all political prisoners held for exercising their right to dissent.
- An end to state repression: We denounce the daily harassment, the “requalification of facts,” and the use of heavy fines intended to bankrupt progressive organisations.
- The withdrawal of foreign interests: We stand with the people of Benin in saying “France Dégagé!” Benin must not be an instrument of aggression against its neighbours or a puppet for imperialist “back offices.”
The world is watching. Those “pushing the buttons” from Paris or Cotonou must understand that the struggle for a liberated, Pan-African future cannot be arrested. The people will be victorious.
Long live the working people of Benin, long live the Communist Party of Benin! Long live Pan-African Solidarity! Down with Imperialism and Neocolonialism!
In solidarity,
The Pan Africanism Today Secretariat
