Togolese lawyers dismiss arrest warrants against M66 activists as baseless

A group of Togolese lawyers has downplayed the international arrest warrants recently announced by the Togolese government against leading members of the June 6 Movement (M66), calling them politically motivated and legally unenforceable.

During a live broadcast on Friday evening, members of the legal collective assured M66 activists that no democratic country or international body, including Interpol, would act on such warrants.

“You don’t just issue an international arrest warrant and expect it to have value,” said Me Alexis Ihou, a lawyer at the Lille Bar in France. “Unless validated by Interpol, it means nothing internationally. And Interpol never validates warrants stemming from political cases. I’ve already checked.”

Ihou recalled a similar situation following the 2020 presidential elections, when opposition leader Agbéyomé Kodjo was targeted by a Togolese arrest warrant during his exile in Europe. “It stayed in Lomé and had no legal effect abroad,” he said.

He further offered to verify the existence of any warrants against M66 members, provided their full details. “But I can already tell you: it’s not possible in the current political context. It won’t be validated,” he emphasized, calling the government’s announcement “a tactic to sow fear.”

Me Raphaël Kpandé-Adzaré, another prominent Togolese lawyer, added: “This is just political theater. No democratic state will collaborate on this. Why? First, no one can be extradited to a country that practices torture — and it’s well known that torture is still used in Togo.”

Citing recent video evidence of alleged torture during June protests and past rulings by the ECOWAS Court condemning Togo for human rights violations, Kpandé-Adzaré also reminded viewers of the UN Convention Against Torture, which prohibits extradition to countries where individuals risk inhumane treatment.

The lawyers advised M66 members to remain vigilant, as the group has reported suspicious activities, including fake delivery messages and unidentified individuals attempting to track down their addresses in France.

Despite the pressure, M66 has reaffirmed its call for nationwide protests on July 16 and 17, aiming to block municipal elections scheduled for the 17th. The movement’s main demand remains the resignation of President Faure Gnassingbé, who has ruled the country since 2005 following the death of his father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who held power for 38 years.