Pan-African activist Kémi Séba released after arrest by French intelligence

Kémi Séba, a prominent advocate for the rights of African peoples, who was arrested in France on October 14, has been released from custody.

The Beninese activist, who had been in police custody at the General Directorate for Internal Security over suspicions of foreign interference, was released without charges as of October 16, according to the Paris public prosecutor's office, Caliber.Az reports per French media.

His custody, which began on October 14 afternoon, was lifted.

“The investigations into the offence of foreign interference are ongoing as part of the preliminary inquiry,” the public prosecution stated.

According to his lawyer, Juan Branco, who strongly condemned the detention, Kémi Séba was questioned as part of an investigation opened for “collusion with a foreign power… with the aim of inciting hostility or acts of aggression against France” — a criminal offence punishable by up to 30 years in prison. 

Notably, Kémi Séba, born in Strasbourg, France, in 1981, is recognised as a prominent figure in the movement for African independence and sovereignty. He is also a staunch critic of French neo-colonialism. 

In 2024, the French government revoked Séba's citizenship in response to his vocal opposition to France's colonial policies and his support for independence movements in the country's overseas territories.

Despite numerous attempts by French authorities to suppress his voice, Séba persists in his activism. Following the revocation of his citizenship, the President of Niger appointed him as a special advisor, and several African nations have issued him a diplomatic passport.

By Aghakazim Guliyev