General
Promulgation of controversial new Constitution
The controversial new Constitution was promulgated on 7th May 2024. After its first adoption by the National Assembly in March 2024, President Faure Gnassingbé sent the draft law revising the Constitution back to the National Assembly for a second reading following heavy criticism. On 19th April 2024, the new Constitution was again adopted by the National Assembly.
The new Constitution moves Togo away from a semi-presidential system to a parliamentary system, meaning that members of parliament will nominate the president, from now on, and direct elections of the president are abolished. The constitutional reform fuelled political tensions and was met with a backlash from civil society and opposition groups, who accuse authorities of using the constitutional reform to keep President Faure Gnassingbé in power.
Peaceful Assembly
Authorities continue to ban sit-ins, meetings and protests against the new Constitution
Several meetings, sit-ins and protests against the new adopted Constitution were banned by authorities, often a day or two days before the planned gatherings.
On 23rd April 2024, the Minister of Territorial Administration banned a planned sit-in by the opposition coalition Dynamique Monseigneur Kpodzro (DMK), which was to take place on 25th April 2024 before the Constitutional Court in Lomé, stating that the request was signed by two instead of three people.
On 8th August 2024, the Minister of Territorial Administration banned a sit-in planned for the following day before the Constitutional Court, and organised by the coalition ‘Touch pas à ma Constitution’ (do not touch my Constitution), to protest against the new Constitution. Authorities used article 9-2 of Law 2019-010 modifying Law 2011-010 of 16th May 2011, which forbids protests in the vicinity of Republican institutions, as grounds to ban the sit-in. As reported previously on the Monitor, Law 2019-010 was adopted by the National Assembly on 7th August 2019, despite severe criticism that the law does not conform to international norms.
On 16th August 2024, the Minister of Territorial Administration banned another protest meeting, organised by the CSO Novation Internationale, planned for 18th August 2024 opposite the Agoè-Nyivé prefectural stadium in the northwestern suburbs of Lomé, using the same law. According to the Minister, the location of the meeting is close to a cemetery and a supermarket, which he claims is a ‘zone of high economic activity’.
On 15th September, several civil society organisations gathered in a meeting to raise awareness on the new constitution, which they continue mobilising against. It was held in Vogan, 50km outside of Lomé. David Dosseh of citizen movement Togo Debout commented to the press:
After the major demonstrations of 2017 and 2018, the Togolese people are exhausted and it will be necessary to redouble efforts on the ground; the work will take time, but through gradual awareness-raising, we hope to be able to remobilse citizens and contest this decision.
- David Dosseh, social movement Togo Debout
As reported previously on the CIVICUS Monitor, following the adoption of the controversial constitutional amendments by the National Assembly in March 2024, authorities have banned several meetings, including press conferences, organised by civil society and opposition parties, and dispersed participants when they attempted to gather.
1/2 IPI is concerned by recent suspensions of media programs & websites. In Togo, the HAAC suspended the program Auditeur-Actualité & its host Joachim Agbetim for 3 months. The authorities should desist from unjustifiably restricting access to information.https://t.co/PZzB9dHLGf
— IPI - The Global Network for Independent Media (@globalfreemedia) August 1, 2024
Expression
Radio programme, host suspended for three months
On 26th July 2024, Togo’s media regulator, Haute Autorité de l’Audiovisuel et de la Communication (HAAC), issued a statement announcing the suspension of Radio Victoire FM’s radio programme Auditeur-Actualité for a period of three months. The suspension relates to a broadcast on 25th July 2024, in which an opposition leader in exile, Akila François Boko, was the programme’s guest. The HAAC accuses Boko of having made false statements during the broadcast, detrimental to national security and intended to “manipulate the consciences of the population and the Defense and Security Forces”.
Prior to the suspension, HAAC had summoned the host of the programme, Joachim Agbetim, who was also suspended as a radio host for three months. The HAAC accused the radio host of not having taken steps to ensure compliance with the principle of balance of information.
Akila François Boko is the vice-president of Freedom Togo-Mouvement de liberation nationale, a new opposition movement, launched in France in July 2024.