4 February 2022 — Police Accused of Violent Attack of Trans Woman, Benin

On 4 February 2022, a Beninese trans woman was assaulted by motorbike taxi drivers and residents in her neighbourhood of Ouidah in Benin. After accusing her and three other trans women of theft, the community members beat, stripped, robbed and photographed her. Rather than helping her, the police that arrived took her to the Pahou Police Station where officers beat her with sticks and machetes, stripped her naked, and took photographs of her. She was detained for three days, forced to remain naked and without food throughout this time.

She filed a complaint with the Ouidah prosecutor’s office and wrote a testimonial to Amnesty International, documenting what had happened to her. Amnesty International’s West Africa Researcher, Fabien Offner said:

“There must be an urgent investigation into this horrendous attack. Not only was Nadia severely beaten by police officers, she was detained for three days, during which time she was forced to remain completely naked. This is transphobia in its most vicious, hateful and deplorable form.”

According to Amnesty International,

“LGBTI people are often victims of violence and threats in Benin. This is despite significant progressive developments in Benin in recent years, such as the decriminalization of same-sex relationships in the country’s penal code in 2018.”