#FreeTogo Protests: Young People Want to End a Dictatorship

People on the ground say armed forces also used firearms with live ammunition. Online, young Togolese people have also kicked off a movement under the #FreeTogo hashtag. The hashtag is filled with tweets calling for Gnassingbé's resignation as well as videos of protesters getting arrested and harassed by military officers during the protests.

In April, Gnassingbé, whose term as President was due to expire, was sworn in as the President of the Council of Ministers, a position with an indefinite term limit and unprecedented power. Experts say it is a clear tactic for the President to remain in power for as long as he chooses.

Recent reports by Amnesty International reveal that at least seven people have been killed as a result of police resistance to the protests. Many more have been injured. The government, in response to allegations of involvement in these killings, has denied the allegations and threatened legal action against the protest organizers. Calling it a "campaign of disinformation and hatred."

According to Kodjovi, Togo operates like a "dictatorship" where freedom of speech, particularly when used to criticize the government, is severely punished. The most recent example of this sparked these ongoing protests. Last month, music artistAamron made a TikTok post criticising the government. On May 27, he was "kidnapped, imprisoned in a psychiatric centre, and unwittingly subjected to unknown injections before being released on June 26, 2025," Kodjovi says.

Kodjovi adds that, like Aamron, dissenting voices are often locked up in overcrowded prisons, and torture is systematically used - all without trial or judicial process. "We have no right to demonstrate or assemble either. Political opponents are imprisoned, tortured, or murdered; the Togolese people lack fundamental freedom."

Family tradition

The Gnassigbé family has been in power for over five decades. Their reign began with Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who entered office in 1986 and died in office in 2005. His son, Faure Gnassingbé, assumed office in 2005 and has remained there to date.

In 2018, the 50th year of Gnassingbé's rule, protests erupted on the streets of Lomé, demanding the President's resignation. Amnesty International reported that four people died in that protest, with many others injured. This prompted a wave of clampdowns and a temporary ban on protests.

"After 20 years in power, Gnassingbé had not built a hospital or a school; dilapidated roads, unemployed youth, and a high cost of living despite the exploding public debt, there is no fundamental infrastructure since the 20years of Faure's presidency. A corrupt minority enriched itself at the expense of the people," Kodjovi says.

Similar pattern

Across Africa, young people have been calling for an end to draconian leadership and an age of fresh political voices. Just as the people of Togo demand a new regime, Kenyans have been protesting, calling for the resignation of President Ruto, whose policies, ranging from high taxes to political negligence, have been widely criticized. As with Togo, heavy military resistance is often used to suppress these demonstrations.

"Many people were beaten until they bled," ET, another Togolese protester and on-ground observer who chose to remain anonymous, tells OkayAfrica. "The militiamen, under orders from the authorities, did not hesitate to enter homes and assault inhabitants. Disappearances and kidnappings took place. To give you an idea, a young man was live-streaming on TikTok when the police broke into his home, smashing doors and windows to arrest him on camera. About 40 protesters are now being held in the civil prison in Lomé."

The goal for many of the Togolese people is to see an end to an era in which the country's resources have been severely underutilized. Togo is home to the only deep-water port in West Africa, significant mineral deposits, and a rich culture and tradition. Additionally, 60 percent of the nation's population is under 25, accounting for a thriving but underdeveloped labor market.

"We simply want Togo to develop and offer better prospects to its children," A.E.M. says. "We want a democratic change of leadership because this government has nothing to show for itself. This change, which we hope for, will allow a new beginning for this country, which has been held back since 1963, when the late Sylvanus Olympio, who aimed to drive this progress, was assassinated," ET adds.

As the #FreeTogo protests show no signs of slowing down, despite administrative backlash and a possible internet shutdown that could cripple the growing online outcry, the goal for many is to see a nation that works, at least within their lifetime.