Togo - June 2025

From 5 to 6 June, security forces violently dispersed rare anti-government protests in Lomé, leaving at least seven people dead, according to civil society groups. The unrest was sparked by the arrest of rapper Aamron, a critic of President Faure Gnassingbé, and public anger over a recent constitutional change that may enable Gnassingbé to rule indefinitely as President of the Council of Ministers. Police used tear gas and batons, with footage showing security forces beating protesters and storming homes. Rights groups documented cases of torture during detention, including beatings and threats. Dozens were arrested and later released, though some remain in custody. The government denied responsibility for the deaths, attributing them to accidental drownings. Civil society actors condemned the repression and called for investigations. Demonstrations are banned in Togo, but youth-led protests resumed from 26 to 28 June, intensifying tensions over the country’s democratic trajectory.

Sources: International Crisis Group, Jeune Afrique, British Broadcasting Corporation, Amnesty International, The Associated Press, Togo Presse, International IDEA

On 16 June, Togo’s media regulator suspended French broadcasters Radio France Internationale and France 24 for three months, accusing them of airing ‘inaccurate and biased’ content that undermines national stability. In justifying their action, the regulator, the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC), alleged repeated breaches of journalistic impartiality, particularly around recent anti-government protests. Both broadcasters denied the HAAC’s claims, saying the ban came ‘without notice’. Press freedom advocates condemned the move as censorship. The suspension comes amid growing unrest, with recent demonstrations over constitutional reforms and arrests of protestors. Local journalists have also faced harassment, including being forced to delete footage of protests. Observers warn the move aligns Togo with other West African states that have similarly banned French media outlets in recent years.

Sources: Jeune Afrique, PressAfrik, Committee to Protect Journalists, Le Monde, International Federation of Journalists