VIOLENCE ESCALATES IN TOGO AS ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS TURN DEADLY

Wed 02 July 2025:

At least seven people, including two minors, have been confirmed dead following a wave of anti-government protests in Togo’s capital, Lomé.

The demonstrations erupted over the weekend in response to President Faure Gnassingbé’s recent constitutional changes, which have sparked outrage and fears of a further erosion of democratic freedoms.

Protesters accuse security forces of responding with excessive force. At the same time, civil society groups have described scenes of brutal repression and intimidation.

“The security forces have used enough repression, enough violence,” said journalist Arafat Afuane, speaking from Lomé. Government officials claimed that some of the deaths were caused by drowning, but Afuane disputed this version of events.

He said families of the deceased believe their relatives were killed by gunfire or beatings. In one instance, he described seeing a policeman climb on top of a man and press his feet down on him while he was dying.

The immediate trigger for the unrest was the government’s sudden and secretive constitutional amendment, which removed presidential term limits and granted Gnassingbé an influential new role as head of the Council of Ministers.

“It was in the night that Parliament met, and in the morning they told us the constitution had changed,” Afuane explained.

Many citizens were outraged not only by the amendment itself but also by the way it was passed — overnight and without public consultation.

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A Generation Without Hope

While the political changes sparked the latest protests, the unrest runs deeper. Many young people in Togo feel abandoned by the system, facing high living costs and few opportunities.

“Life is very expensive in Togo. There is no hope for the youth. Everyone wants to go to Europe or another African country because they feel they can’t build a future here,” said Afuane.

Although Lomé appeared calm on Monday, protest organisers have said they will continue demonstrating until their demands are met, including reduced living costs and, in some cases, the president’s resignation.