The media landscape in Benin has undergone significant shifts in recent years, reflecting both progress and setbacks in press freedoms. While the country’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression and the press, journalists often operate in a challenging environment where legal protections are undermined by political interference, censorship, and harassment. Benin was once considered a regional model for democratic governance, but recent developments have raised concerns about the deterioration of press freedom, particularly under President Patrice Talon’s administration. One of the most pressing issues is the growing trend of censorship and legal persecution of journalists. Media outlets critical of the government, such as La Nouvelle Tribune, have faced arbitrary suspensions and financial pressures with defamation laws and cybercrime legislation used to silence dissent, despite constitutional guarantees of free speech.