On August 22, 2025, Armand Agblézé and Oséi Agbagno, activists from the Togolese citizens’ movement organisation Tournons la Page, were arrested and detained at the Central Service for Criminal Research and Investigation (SCRIC). Tournons la Page has denounced what it describes as an attempt at intimidation and a clear determination by the authorities to silence civil society and prevent popular gatherings.
Their arrests, reported on August 26 in a statement published by the organisation, come in the context of mounting tensions between the state and civil society following the June 2025 demonstrations demanding democratic reforms. On August 28, 2025, Armand Agblézé and Oséi Agbagno were brought before the Public Prosecutor, who decided to refer the matter to the investigating judge. The investigating judge opened a judicial investigation and charged them with “aggravated public order disturbance” before issuing a detention warrant for their transfer to the Lomé Civil Prison.
According to reports, the two activists were arrested while attending a meeting to organise protests planned for August 30, 2025, against injustice and poor governance, in the country. In recent months, activists from the Togolese diaspora as well as civil society actors in Togo, including activists Armand Agblézé and Oséi Agbagno, have called for a mobilisation of Togolese citizens against recent changes to the Togolese constitution.
The Tournons la Page statement also alerted the general public to news of another supporter of the movement who was forced to flee the country after realising he was being spied on. His suspicions were confirmed a few days later when two men suspected to be plainclothes officers showed up at his home and persistently questioned his wife as to his whereabouts.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) calls on the Togolese authorities to immediately release Armand Agblézé and Oséi Agbagno and to end the campaign of intimidation and harassment against activists. Peaceful assembly and free expression are fundamental rights guaranteed under the Togolese Constitution and international treaties to which Togo is a signatory. Rather than silencing dissent, the authorities must create space for open dialogue and ensure that citizens can freely express their views and mobilise without fear of reprisals.
