Togo Summons EU Rep: Irish Citizen Detention Resolution
- Togo has formally protested a resolution passed by the European Parliament concerning the detention of Abdoul Aziz Goma, an Irish citizen with Togolese heritage.
- The European Parliament's resolution specifically calls for the immediate release of Goma, who is currently serving a ten-year sentence alongside 13 others.
- The resolution goes further, condemning the conditions of Goma's detention, alleging he has been held incommunicado and subjected to torture.
Togo Protests EU Resolution Over Detained Irish-Togolese Citizen
Togo has formally protested a resolution passed by the European Parliament concerning the detention of Abdoul Aziz Goma, an Irish citizen with Togolese heritage. The government summoned the European Union ambassador to express it’s disapproval, according to an official document reviewed by Agence France-Presse.
The European Parliament’s resolution specifically calls for the immediate release of Goma, who is currently serving a ten-year sentence alongside 13 others. They were convicted in February of “plotting against internal security” stemming from their participation in opposition demonstrations held in 2018. These demonstrations were officially prohibited by Togolese authorities.
The resolution goes further, condemning the conditions of Goma’s detention, alleging he has been held incommunicado and subjected to torture. These claims have heightened international concern regarding human rights practices within Togo’s judicial system.
In response, Togo’s foreign ministry issued a statement characterizing the resolution as an unacceptable interference in a matter of national sovereignty and judicial independence. The government maintains that the case is a purely domestic legal issue and rejects external scrutiny.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of ongoing political tension in Togo. Earlier this year, the country experienced renewed protests – some of which turned deadly – sparked by proposed constitutional reforms. Opponents fear these changes would allow President Faure Gnassingbé, who has been in power for two decades, to extend his rule indefinitely. Gnassingbé initially came to power in 2005 following the death of his father, General Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who had ruled Togo for 38 years. The potential for prolonged rule has fueled concerns about democratic backsliding and the suppression of dissent.
The case of Abdoul Aziz Goma and the broader political climate in Togo underscore the challenges facing the West African nation as it navigates issues of governance, human rights, and political stability.