In Togo, the erosion of informational freedom is no longer confined to reports from NGOs or regulatory statements. It has become a tangible reality on street corners and pavements, where the simple act of distributing a newspaper now carries significant risk. By extending pressure to street vendors, President Faure Gnassingbé’s administration crosses a concerning threshold: the methodical and operational suppression of free speech.
The vendetta against vendors
For many years, the control of the press in Togo relied on conventional institutional levers. These included summonses, temporary publication suspensions, withdrawal of press credentials, and threats of defamation lawsuits. While these tactics gradually pushed numerous newsrooms towards self-censorship, they proved insufficient to extinguish the public’s growing demand for critical information.
The recent arrests of independent newspaper distributors and vendors in Lomé therefore mark a pivotal shift in strategy. By targeting the most vulnerable link in the information chain – individuals who depend on single-copy sales for their livelihood – authorities are no longer merely seeking to penalize content. Their objective is to sever the direct connection between independent publications and their readership.
This assault on distribution channels represents a calculated move rooted in economic and security repression. The aim is clear: to instill fear among resellers, compelling them to refuse to display opposition or investigative titles. This creates an invisible yet devastating commercial blockade for media enterprises already struggling financially.
HARC: professional regulation or censorship arm?
At the core of Faure Gnassingbé’s system, the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HARC) faces increasingly sharp criticism from trade unions and the Togolese Press Employers’ Association (PPT). Tasked with safeguarding freedom of expression and ensuring balance across the media landscape, from print to digital, the institution is now widely perceived by the profession as an instrument for enforcing editorial alignment.
Under the pretense of “public sanitation,” “sector cleanup,” or combating disinformation, sanctions disproportionately target media outlets that scrutinize governance, financial dealings, or political management. Meanwhile, publications aligned with the official narrative consistently benefit from leniency. This policy of double standards has effectively drained public debate of its substance, transforming the official media landscape into a distorted reflection of Togolese reality.
Togo’s democracy falters on the ground
At a time when official rhetoric extols institutional modernization and the nation’s economic appeal, the overt repression against media actors underscores the reality of a constantly shrinking democratic space. Press freedom is not a privilege granted to journalists; it is a fundamental right for all citizens.
By stifling the few remaining spaces for dissent and pursuing those who distribute written information, the Togolese government opts for an artificial calm. However, by suffocating independent information, it does not eliminate social and political tensions; it merely deprives society of legitimate channels for their expression.
