During her visit to Lomé this week, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, met with a delegation of Togolese opposition leaders and civil society representatives. The discussions focused on Togo’s ongoing sociopolitical crisis, which has been exacerbated by recent controversial constitutional changes enacted by the ruling party.
The delegation which included Brigitte Adjamagbo-Johnson, Nathaniel Olympio, Gérard Djossou, Targone Sambirni, Jean Kissi, Lily Gnininvi, Sylvanus Outcha, and Célestin Agbogan, presented several appeals, urging Togo, one of the Commonwealth’s newest members, to uphold the organization’s core values.
“We expressed our concerns, which reflect those of the Togolese people. The Constitution promulgated on May 6, 2024, represents a constitutional coup, adopted through a procedure that disregarded the people’s sovereignty. This Constitution aims to bypass term limits, maintain the regime’s power, and transform the country into a monarchy. We also highlighted the human rights violations our country suffers from,” stated Ms. Adjamagbo-Johnson after the meeting.
The discussions also addressed issues such as political prisoners, political refugees, the prohibition and confiscation of the right to protest, freedom of assembly, and trade union freedoms. “These concerns indicate that Togo does not respect the fundamental values of the Commonwealth,” added Ms. Adjamagbo-Johnson.
Furthermore, the opposition suggested several solutions to restore the country’s adherence to human rights, including the release of political prisoners and the creation of suitable conditions for the return of political exiles. They also called for a national dialogue leading to “a transition that will reset everything, resulting in a new social contract and a Constitution that unites us and addresses our issues, including the meaningless elections in this country,” emphasized Ms. Adjamagbo-Johnson
During this inaugural official visit, Secretary-General Scotland also engaged with stakeholders from various sectors and government authorities, including the of State Faure Gnassingbé.
Togo’s opposition leaders present democracy concerns to Commonwealth
