Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé is under increasing pressure following a wave of protests against recent constitutional changes that could allow him to stay in power indefinitely.
The government has been accused of cracking down on demonstrators and stifling dissent.
Pro-democracy activists on Tuesday condemned the arrest and reported mistreatment of dozens of protesters who took to the streets of the capital, Lomé, last week and voiced their anger online. The protests followed constitutional reforms that grant Gnassingbé sweeping new powers as President of the Council of Ministers—a role with no term limits and eligibility for indefinite re-election by parliament.
Gnassingbé, who has been in power since 2005 after succeeding his father, was officially sworn into the powerful new position in May. The opposition has described the move as a “constitutional coup,” warning that it entrenches one-family rule and undermines democracy in the West African nation.
According to local rights groups, roughly 80 people were arrested during the protests, with about half released by Monday night. At least 25 remain in detention.
“There are credible reports that some of those arrested were beaten during their arrest,” said Aimé Adi, Amnesty International’s country director in Togo.
A coalition of civil society and opposition parties, operating under the banner Hands Off My Constitution, has called for the immediate release of all detainees and for an end to what they described as a repressive regime. “After 20 years of Faure Gnassingbé’s absolute power, the people want change,” the group said in a statement.
Public demonstrations have been effectively banned in Togo since 2022, following a deadly explosion at Lomé’s central market. However, the recent constitutional changes have sparked rare public outrage in a region increasingly concerned about democratic backsliding and authoritarian entrenchment.
Defending the state’s actions, Public Prosecutor Talaka Mawama claimed the arrests were justified, saying the protests were “part of a revolt against the institutions of the Republic.”
Togo, a country with a long history of dynastic rule, has seen limited political transition over the past five decades. With these latest developments, the political temperature is rising again, and calls for reform are growing louder both at home and abroad.
