On the case of Abdoul Aziz Goma, arbitrarily detained in Togo

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

(2025/2862(RSP))

The European Parliament,

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

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;

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;

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;

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;

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

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;

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

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

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

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;

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;

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;

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;

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;

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;

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.