Latest news with #Togo
Al Arabiya
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Togo Rocked by Protests Over Reforms That Could Extend President Gnassingbé's Rule
Protesters and security forces clashed for a second straight day on Friday in Togo's capital, Lomé, over recent constitutional reforms that could cement President Faure Gnassingbé's long hold on power. Videos emerged showing apparent abuses by security forces. Police fired tear gas in several neighborhoods of Lomé and reportedly used batons to beat protesters, severely injuring some, according to footage that appears to be from the scene. Some videos showed what seem to be security units entering homes and assaulting residents with whips and clubs, while groups of men in plain clothes, believed to be auxiliary forces or self-defense units, patrolled parts of the capital with weapons in hand. 'We strongly condemn the violence with which unarmed protesters have been met,' Professor David Dosseh, spokesman for a coalition of a dozen civil society groups, told The Associated Press. Internet access across the West African nation has been restricted, with social media platforms functioning intermittently. Civil society groups and social media influencers had called for protests on June 26, 27, and 28 after the government's clampdown on protests earlier this month. Faure Gnassingbé, who has ruled since 2005 after the death of his father, was sworn in in May as President of the Council of Ministers. The powerful role has no official term limits, and he is eligible to be re-elected by Parliament indefinitely. Gnassingbé's former job as national president–a position that is now mostly ceremonial–was given to politician Jean-Lucien Kwassi Savi de Tove after the announcement. Opposition politicians have denounced the move as a constitutional coup. Demonstrations are rare in Togo because they have been banned in the country since 2022 following a deadly attack at Lomé's main market. But the latest change in government structure has been widely criticized in a region threatened by rampant coups and other threats to democracy.
Associated Press
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Togo rocked by protests over reforms that could extend President Gnassingbé's rule
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] LOME, Togo (AP) — Protesters and security forces clashed for a second straight day on Friday in Togo's capital Lomé over recent constitutional reforms that could cement President Faure Gnassingbé's long hold on power. Videos emerged showing apparent abuses by security forces. Police fired tear gas in several neighborhoods of Lomé and reportedly used batons to beat protesters, severely injuring some, according to footage that appears to be from the scene. Some videos showed what seem to be security units entering homes and assaulting residents with whips and clubs, while groups of men in plain clothes, believed to be auxiliary forces or self-defense units, patrolled parts of the capital with weapons in hand. 'We strongly condemn the violence with which unarmed protesters have been met,' Professor David Dosseh, spokesman for a coalition of a dozen civil society groups, told The Associated Press. Internet access across the West African nation has been restricted, with social media platforms functioning intermittently. Civil society groups and social media influencers had called for protests on June 26, 27 and 28, after the government's clampdown on protests early this month. Faure Gnassingbé, who has ruled since 2005 after the death of his father, was sworn in in May as President of the Council of Ministers . The powerful role has no official term limits and he is eligible to be re-elected by Parliament indefinitely. Gnassingbe's former job as national president, a position that is now mostly ceremonial, was given to politician Jean-Lucien Kwassi Savi de Tove after the announcement. Opposition politicians have denounced the move as a 'constitutional coup.' Demonstrations are rare in Togo because they have been banned in the country since 2022 following a deadly attack at Lome's main market. But the latest change in government structure has been widely criticized in a region threatened by rampant coups and other threats to democracy.
Washington Post
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Togo rocked by protests over reforms that could extend President Gnassingbé's rule
LOME, Togo — Protesters and security forces clashed for a second straight day on Friday in Togo's capital Lomé over recent constitutional reforms that could cement President Faure Gnassingbé's long hold on power. Videos emerged showing apparent abuses by security forces. Police fired tear gas in several neighborhoods of Lomé and reportedly used batons to beat protesters, severely injuring some, according to footage that appears to be from the scene.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Togo's Dynasty Faces Mounting Protests Over Decades-Long Rule
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, whose family has run the West African nation for 58 years, faces mounting protests fanned by a maneuver that has set him up to rule for life. Hundreds of demonstrators marched in the capital, Lome, on Thursday to demand his exit and will do so again on Friday and Saturday, said David Dosseh, a spokesman for Front Citoyen Togo Debout, an umbrella civil society group. The protests followed demonstrations on June 5 and 6.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Security forces disperse Togo protesters demanding president's resignation
Security forces used tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters who blocked roads in Togo's capital to demand the resignation of longtime leader Faure Gnassingbe. Hundreds of protesters set up concrete block barricades on Thursday in several neighbourhoods of Lome, with some burning tyres and throwing projectiles at security forces. Police dispersed dozens of the protesters with tear gas and arrested several people in the Be neighbourhood, an opposition stronghold. The protests come as Gnassingbe faces increasing calls from critics to resign, over changes to the country's constitution that could keep him in power indefinitely. Civil society groups and social media influencers had called for protests from June 26-28, after the government's clampdown on protests earlier this month. A heavy police presence was set up throughout the capital, where many businesses closed for the day. Military jeeps were also deployed as reinforcements in some areas. 'We're hungry. Nothing works for Togolese youth any more, that's why we're going out to protest this morning,' said Kossi Albert, a 30-year-old unemployed man, adding that he was planning to turn out again on Friday. Hodabalo Awate, Togo's minister of territorial administration, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the security forces' response to the protests. A coalition of political groups known as 'Hands Off My Constitution' said in a Facebook post on Wednesday it 'strongly urges Faure Gnassingbe to immediately and unconditionally release all of the roughly one hundred political prisoners, and to take urgent measures to restore purchasing power to the population'. It called for an 'unprecedented peaceful demonstration'. Gnassingbe, who has ruled since 2005 after the death of his father, was in May sworn in as president of the Council of Ministers. The powerful role has no official term limits. Opposition politicians have denounced the move as a 'constitutional coup' that could extend his rule for life. Togolese authorities arrested dozens of people earlier this month during protests against Gnassingbe's new role as well as what critics described as a crackdown on dissent and a cost-of-living crisis, according to Amnesty International. Many were quickly released, the rights group said. Demonstrations are rare in Togo because they have been banned in the country since 2022, following a deadly attack at Lome's main market. But the latest change in government structure has been widely criticised in a region that has witnessed coups and other threats to democracy.
