A United Nations human rights expert is urging Togo to immediately release Abdoul Aziz Goma, a Togolese‑Irish human rights defender who has spent seven years in detention and is now in critical condition after more than 40 days on hunger strike. The appeal comes as international concern intensifies over his deteriorating health and the legality of his prolonged imprisonment.
Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, renewed her call from Geneva on the seventh anniversary of Goma’s arrest, warning that his life is at serious risk as he marks his 44th day without food. She described his detention as arbitrary and emphasized that his hunger strike reflects years of alleged injustice.
Goma was arrested in Lomé in 2018 after offering shelter to young demonstrators who had traveled to the capital to protest, despite not participating in the demonstrations himself. He was reportedly held in secret for several years before being transferred to Togo’s formal prison system in 2022.
Lawlor urged Togolese authorities to use existing legal mechanisms to secure his release, including conditional release provisions under the country’s Criminal Procedure Code and clemency options outlined by the President of the Council of Ministers earlier this month. She stressed that Goma’s severe health decline meets the criteria for humanitarian intervention.
Human rights organizations have long criticized Goma’s case as emblematic of broader concerns about political repression and due‑process violations in Togo. With his condition worsening, the UN’s renewed appeal adds mounting pressure on the Togolese government to act swiftly.
Human rights by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free
