What changed

B100379/2025

European Parliament resolution on the case of Abdoul Aziz Goma, arbitrarily detained in Togo

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the case of Abdoul Aziz Goma, arbitrarily detained in Togo

(2025/2862(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to Opinion 39/2023 adopted by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on 1 September 2023,

– having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

having regard to the seventh periodic report of Togo adopted by the UN Committee Against Torture, concluded in July 2019,

A. whereas Abdoul Aziz Goma, a dual Irish-Togolese citizen, was arrested and detained in Togo in December 2018 on charges of assisting local protestors with pre-election protests;

having regard to the Samoa Agreement,

B. whereas in February 2025, he was convicted in a one-day trial and sentenced to 10 years in prison, alongside 13 others, amid serious concerns about the fairness of the proceedings;

having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

C. whereas Mr Goma has been subjected to severe torture and held incommunicado for long periods, has endured over six years of inhumane pretrial detention, and on 27 August 2025, began a hunger strike in protest against his prison conditions;

whereas Abdoul Aziz Goma, an Irish citizen, was arrested and detained in Togo in December 2018 on charges of assisting local protestors in relation to pre-election protests;

D. whereas in 2023, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Mr Goma’s rights to freedom of assembly, association and fair trial were being violated;

whereas Aziz Goma was held in pre-trial detention for over six years; whereas a one-day trial took place on 3 February 2025 and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment;

E. whereas Mr Goma’s health has gravely deteriorated during detention, with progressive neurological damage, severe sciatica and reduced mobility, requiring urgent medical attention;

whereas human rights organisations have reported that Aziz Goma has been subject to torture, and denied adequate food, healthcare and access to a lawyer;

F. whereas the civil prison in Lomé is extremely overcrowded; whereas these conditions, of inadequate space, food and medical treatment, fail to meet international standards; whereas in 2019, the UN Committee against Torture advised the Togolese authorities to close the prison;

whereas in 2023 the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that the rights of Aziz Goma to freedom of assembly, association, and fair trial were violated;

G. whereas arbitrarily detaining individuals, particularly civil society activists, undermines public trust in institutions and aggravates political tensions;

whereas the health of Aziz Goma has significantly deteriorated while imprisoned; whereas in August 2025 he began a hunger strike and was subsequently admitted to hospital with rapidly worsening health concerns;

H. whereas this case is symptomatic of severe democratic backsliding in Togo, exemplified by the 2024 constitutional changes;

whereas the civil prison in Lomé is extremely overcrowded; whereas this has led to conditions which fail to meet international standards, including lack of adequate space, food or medical treatment; whereas in 2019 the UN Committee against Torture advised the Togolese authorities to close the prison;

I. whereas growing Russian influence in the Sahel and West Africa is alarming;

Deplores the treatment of Abdoul Aziz Goma and expresses its solidarity with him;

1. Strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest and prolonged incommunicado detention of and torture suffered by Abdoul Aziz Goma; expresses profound concern for his physical and psychological well-being;

Calls for his immediate and unconditional release;

2. Urges the Togolese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him, in line with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s opinion; demands that his conviction be set aside, his safety guaranteed, and that the authorities facilitate his urgent medical evacuation;

Expresses strong concern for Aziz Goma’s physical and mental health; urges the Togolese authorities to take immediate measures on humanitarian grounds to ensure his wellbeing;

3. Underlines the need to ensure that detention conditions meet international human rights standards; calls for the Togolese authorities to reform their penitentiary system and end the practice of arbitrary pretrial imprisonment of political opponents;

Insists that Aziz Goma’s right to adequate food, healthcare, and access to a lawyer are fully respected;

4. Insists that the right to freedom of assembly and expression be protected; urges the authorities to ensure adequate space for civil society to operate, including peaceful protestors and human rights defenders;

Calls on the Togolese authorities to uphold national and international obligations to ensure humane prison conditions and the eradication of torture; urges the authorities to work closely with the UN and other international bodies to advance this work;

5. Stresses that the arbitrary detention and torture of political opponents, human rights defenders and individuals perceived as critical of the government undermine the rule of law and democratic governance in Togo; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners;

Calls on the Togolese judiciary to uphold international standards for fair trials, and to end the practice of long pre-trial detention;

6. Calls for the EU and its Member States to use diplomatic channels to resolve this case and support efforts to strengthen judicial independence and the rule of law in Togo;

Insists that the right to freedom of assembly and expression must be protected; urges the authorities to take further steps to ensure adequate space for civil society, including peaceful protestors and human rights defenders, to operate;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the Government and Parliament of Togo.

Calls on the Commission and EEAS in Lomé to intensify dialogue with the Togolese authorities for the release of Aziz Goma and the advancement of civil and judicial reform;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HRVP, and the Government and Parliament of Togo.