Two French filmmakers held in Togo since July 27, Paris says

Two French nationals have been held in Togo since being arrested over a fortnight ago, the foreign ministry in Paris told AFP on Tuesday.

The pair, journalist-directors working for a French production company according to local media, were detained on July 27 and are subject to a judicial investigation, the foreign ministry said.

Togo has been led since 2005 by Faure Gnassingbe, who succeeded his father who ruled the west African state for 38 years. 

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Since late 2021, the country's far north has been plagued by incursions from jihadists based over the border in Burkina Faso.

The government declared a state of emergency the following year in a northern region and has extended it several times, most recently in February for a period of one year. 

Radio France Internationale and France 24 were taken off the air in June 2025 for three months, accused of relaying "inaccurate and tendentious remarks" after demonstrations critical of the government, which shook the country that same month. 

Togo ranks 97th out of 180 countries in the annual press freedom index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)