Irish citizen imprisoned without trial in Togo for three years

An Irish citizen has been held in prison for three years without trial in Togo, west Africa, with the Department of Foreign Affairs now urging the Togolese authorities to protect him and investigate allegations he has been tortured.

Abdoul-Aziz Goma (52), who is originally from Togo, was living between Ireland and the UK in late 2018 when he returned for a visit and was arrested.

He has remained in prison, without trial, since his arrest, accused of helping to provide support to young protesters who had gathered in Lomé, the Togolese capital, in opposition to the continued reign of President Faure Gnassingbé.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it is aware of Mr Goma’s continued detention and is raising his case with the Togolese authorities. Correspondence from an official in the department, seen by The Irish Times, states its consular directorate has issued a diplomatic note on the case to the Togolese embassy in London.

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It has requested the Togolese authorities ensure “all possible assistance” be provided “for the protection” of Mr Goma. It has also called for a “thorough investigation into Mr Goma’s allegations of torture and ill-treatment”.

Mr Goma has written an account of his arrest and continued detention, outlining the torture he says he has been subjected to. His account was prepared for submission to the National Human Rights Commission in Togo.

He says when he was arrested with two other people in Lomé he was subjected to a severe beating and was at one point handcuffed to the wheel of a car by members of the security services, whom he says used sticks and batons to beat him. He added he was also beaten by police officers using the butts of their rifles and has endured mock executions while in custody.

Deteriorating health

Mr Goma says his hands, feet and shins have been targeted , resulting in severe injuries to his back and feet that mean he must now use a wheelchair. One local source in Togo said Mr Goma’s health had deteriorated significantly in recent months, necessitating his admission to hospital.

Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said he had learned of Mr Goma's case in recent weeks and had now raised it with Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney. He said he was concerned Mr Goma was an Irish citizen detained for three years without trial yet it appeared his case had gone apparently unnoticed in the Republic.

The allegations of torture are very serious and something the Irish Government must take up very strongly with the Togolese authorities, Mr Murphy said. "We need to ensure he either gets a trial – and a fair trial at that, or he gets released," said Mr Murphy.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was “aware of this case and is providing consular assistance” but would not comment on specific details.

It said consular assistance was being provided via the Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, the Irish Embassy in Abuja, and with assistance from the French embassy in Togo, as Ireland does not have diplomatic representation in the country.

Four charges

President Faure Gnassingbé was installed by the military in 2005, when his father and sitting president died 38 years into his reign, having seized power in a military-backed coup in 1967, some seven years after independence.

Mr Goma is facing four charges: threatening the safety and security of the state; aiding a criminal group; destruction of public property; and association with activism and radicalism.

He was among a large number of people taken into detention at the time when the police and military cracked down on protesters and banned their gatherings. He has said he did not attend any protests at the time. Instead he offered to help a number of young people who found themselves with nowhere to stay and with no money when people they had arranged to meet in Lomé could not be contacted.