Karrou Wawim, a Togolese opposition figure detained since December 2018, has died after a prolonged illness, multiple sources confirmed over the weekend. The ECOWAS Court of Justice ruled in November 2023 for his immediate release, along with his co-detainees, but Togolese authorities failed to comply.
“According to sources close to the family, Mr. Karrou Wawim, a member of the opposition coalition C14 and a political prisoner for several years, reportedly passed away this weekend. Acts of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment may have contributed to his death,” wrote Kao Atcholi, president of the Association of Victims of Torture in Togo (ASVITTO), in a post on social media platform X.
In recent months, civil society organizations, including ASVITTO and the Coalition of the Togolese Diaspora for Change and Democracy (CODITOGO), had repeatedly raised concerns about Wawim’s deteriorating health.
In a January 25, 2025, statement, CODITOGO warned that Wawim, who had been receiving treatment at CHU Sylvanus Olympio hospital in Lomé, was in critical condition, suffering from severe liver and gastric complications, extreme fatigue, and vomiting blood clots. “He is currently in intensive care,” the statement read.
Despite these warnings, Wawim did not survive. Civil society groups allege that he and other detainees were subjected to torture and inhumane treatment while in detention.
ECOWAS Court Ruling and Government Inaction on Karrou Wawim ‘s Case
The situation was further exacerbated by the failure of the Togolese government to comply with a ruling by the ECOWAS Court of Justice in November 2023. The regional court found that Wawim and his co-detainees had been subjected to torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. It ordered Togo to “immediately and without delay” release them.
However, despite this binding decision, CODITOGO and other civil society organizations have accused the government of disregarding the ruling, keeping Wawim and his co-detainees imprisoned in poor conditions.
Wawim and several others were finally tried before the Lomé Court of Assizes on February 3 and 4, 2025, after more than six years in detention. Most of them, arrested during the 2018 protests against the ruling regime, were sentenced to ten years in prison. Found guilty of “conspiracy against state security” and “criminal association,” these detainees had taken part in a demonstration banned by the authorities, joining the opposition in demanding constitutional reforms.
As of now, Togolese authorities have not issued any statement regarding Wawim’s death or their failure to comply with the ECOWAS Court ruling.