Amnesty International voiced severe criticism on Thursday regarding the oppressive response to protests in Togo, spotlighting the excessive force and maltreatment by police and security forces during demonstrations on June 26. The human rights organization demanded that Togo's authorities cease the unlawful force, release detained individuals, and initiate investigations into the allegations of unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, and disappearances. Fabien Offner, a researcher at Amnesty, emphasized, "All light must be shed on these deaths and the whereabouts of those who have disappeared. Those detained for exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly must be released."

The protests in Lomé, the capital, arose in reaction to constitutional changes enacted in April 2024, which potentially allow the current leader to remain in power indefinitely. Under the new constitution, the president is chosen by members of parliament rather than through direct popular vote. Despite the reduction of presidential terms from five to four years, with a two-term limit, the tenure already served by President Faure Gnassingbé, who has been in power since 2005, is exempt. Gnassingbé was appointed to the newly empowered role on May 3, 2025.

From June 26 to 28, demonstrators voiced their dissent against these constitutional amendments, viewing them as a power grab. Reports from witnesses and civic rights groups indicated that security forces employed tear gas and batons to disperse the crowds, resulting in at least seven fatalities. The Togolese government has denied any correlation between these deaths and the protests.

Amnesty International collected testimonies from 13 victims and witnesses, which confirmed the aggressive tactics employed by law enforcement and so-called "militiamen." The accounts included minors who reported assaults, arrests, and beatings. Additionally, several cases of disappearances were reported, with individuals allegedly abducted by unidentified parties.

The violent suppression has also drawn criticism from regional NGOs, including the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), which denounced the force used against protesters and unarmed citizens. They have called for an independent investigation and accountability for those responsible, underlining the need to uphold human rights in Togo.

Since 2022, a ban on protests in Togo has been in place, alongside ongoing violence against demonstrators, raising significant concerns over human rights. Advocates argue that the treatment of protesters not only breaches internationally recognized human rights, such as the rights to liberty, security of person, and freedom of expression but also indicates a deterioration of civil liberties within the country.