Togo Mourns Teen Protest Victim as Crackdown Deepens and Youth Defiance Grows

Photo: AP


July 10, 2025 Hour: 2:27 pm

The death of 15-year-old Jacques Koami Koutoglo, whose bruised body was found floating in the Bè Lagoon after mass protests in Togo, has become a symbol of the country’s deepening political crisis and generational rupture.

Koutoglo, a recent high school graduate who dreamed of becoming a footballer, was not part of the demonstrations, according to his family. “He must have panicked when he heard the tear gas and gunshots,” said his uncle, Koutoglo Kossi Mawuli, who vowed to demand an independent investigation.

The protests, which erupted on June 26, were sparked by constitutional changes that critics say allow President Faure Gnassingbé to remain in power indefinitely. The reforms created a Council of Ministers with sweeping executive powers and no term limits, effectively replacing direct presidential elections.

Civil society groups report at least seven deaths, dozens of injuries, and over 60 arrests, with security forces accused of arbitrary detentions, home invasions, and excessive force. Amnesty International documented cases of torture, abductions, and beatings with cords, calling the crackdown part of a “repressive architecture” that has normalized abuse.

In the working-class neighborhood of , witnesses described police chasing youth into homes and firing tear gas. “They entered our yard. They beat people,” said one resident.

The government claims the victims died by drowning and has promised further investigation, but families and rights groups reject the explanation. “These acts of unspeakable cruelty constitute a state crime,” said a coalition of civic organizations.

The protests were led not by traditional opposition parties, but by diaspora influencers, artists, and youth activists, reflecting a generational shift in Togo’s political landscape.

The M66 Citizens’ Movement, a coalition behind the protests, has called for renewed demonstrations on July 16 and 17, despite the government issuing international arrest warrants for its leaders and labeling their actions “terrorism”.

Amnesty International and other watchdogs are demanding a public list of detainees, independent autopsies, and transparent legal proceedings. “Peaceful assembly does not require prior approval,” said researcher Fabien Offner. “What’s unlawful is systematically preventing it”.

With opposition figures sidelined and institutions dominated by the ruling party, many Togolese see few legal avenues for change. “This fight is for our children. For Jacques. For all of us,” said Mawuli.

Author: OSG

Source: EFE-Africanews