Lome, Togo | AFP | Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe has accused the opposition of orchestrating violence that has killed at least 16 people in massive anti-government protests across the country. Since the first protests began in late August more than 200 others have been injured as the opposition agitates for …
Read More »Government forces accused of ‘savage repression’ in Togo
Lome, Togo | AFP | Togo’s opposition on Wednesday accused the security forces of “savage repression” after nearly 20 of its supporters were injured as they tried to protest against the ruling party. The opposition held the first of three planned demonstrations this week on Tuesday, calling for constitutional reform and …
Read More »Opposition march again in Togo over political reform
Lome, Togo | AFP | Thousands of people took to the streets in Togo’s capital on Tuesday in the latest protest calling for the long-standing President Faure Gnassingbe to step down. The demonstration is the first of three planned marches this week and comes after more than two months of nearly …
Read More »Togo lifts ban on weekday marches
Lome, Togo | AFP | Togo’s government has scrapped a ban on weekday marches after a series of anti-government protests defied the order, the country’s security minister and the opposition said on Saturday. The restrictions were introduced on October 10 on security grounds following a wave of demonstrations that saw hundreds …
Read More »At least 4 dead in Togo protest clashes
Lome, Togo | AFP | At least four people were shot dead on Wednesday in clashes between protesters and security forces in Togo’s two largest cities after soldiers and police launched teargas to prevent the latest anti-government protest. Opposition parties had refused to cancel plans for demonstrations on Wednesday and Thursday, …
Read More »Togo bans marches hours after opposition announces one
Lome, Togo | AFP | The Togo government on Tuesday announced a ban on all midweek marches, hours after the opposition announced plans for a rally next week in a campaign aimed at forcing out President Faure Gnassingbe. From Monday to Friday “all marches are banned. People can meet in a …
Read More »Togo: protests, a dead cow and a political message
Kparatao, Togo | AFP | The cow belonging to the butcher in Kparatao, northern Togo, was tied to a tree and minding its own business when the soldiers pumped it full of bullets. Within days, the stricken animal became a symbol of the popular protests against President Faure Gnassingbe which have …
Read More »Hundreds of Togolese seek sanctuary in Ghana
Accra, Ghana | AFP | Hundreds of Togolese nationals have fled to neighbouring Ghana to escape reprisals after a wave of anti-government protests, a Ghanaian official said on Wednesday. Paddy Tetteh, from the Ghana Refugee Board, said the first batch arrived last Wednesday and although numbers had since fallen, more were …
Read More »Togo: how long can the grassroots pressure last?
Lome, Togo | AFP | Togo’s government was surprised by how many people took to the streets earlier this month to demand the removal of President Faure Gnassingbe. But with no end in sight to the protesters’ calls for change, questions are mounting about whether the pressure can be maintained to …
Read More »Thousands join fresh protests in Togo amid ‘crackdown’
Lome, Togo | AFP | Thousands of protesters in Togo Thursday joined demonstrations around the country for a second day against the rule of President Faure Gnassingbe, the scion of Africa’s oldest political dynasty. The atmosphere was tense amid accusations of harsh repression by security forces on Wednesday, when at least …
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