Togo: one year since Marguerite Gnakadé’s arrest, the mechanics of silence remain

A year of detention for Marguerite Gnakadé

Exactly one year has passed since Marguerite Essossimna Gnakadé, a former minister of the armed forces, was taken into custody on 17 September 2025. The anniversary highlights an enduring pattern in Lomé: under President Faure Gnassingbé, crossing the red line of dissent is almost always met with an institutional or judicial response.

For both the public and regional observers, the case of the former defence chief illustrates a well-honed doctrine of power. When a political or military figure strays from the official line, the executive rarely responds with direct verbal confrontation. Instead, it relies on a structured state apparatus, where the courts and health or security secrecy become tools of forced pacification.

From the inner circle to sidelining

The management of opposition in Togo follows a precise typology. Three paths are traditionally reserved for critics of the regime:

• Isolation and judicial proceedings: The case of Marguerite Gnakadé is the most recent example. Prosecuted for undermining the internal security of the state after publicly demanding reforms and the president’s resignation, her scope for action has been reduced to the silence of prolonged detention.
• Political exile: Over the past two decades, several leading opposition figures and former dissident officials have left the country in the face of security pressure or legal action, effectively neutralising their influence on the national stage.
• Co-optation and selective dialogue: For moderate opponents or critical voices seen as conciliatory, the Lomé authorities have regularly favoured negotiation, incremental institutional reforms, or integration into transitional bodies.

The relentless machinery of silence

What stands out in President Faure Gnassingbé’s method is the command of time. Unlike regimes that react with media stunts, the Togolese authorities prefer to let time weaken the momentum of protests. Once the initial shockwave of an arrest fades, legal cases often become bogged down in prolonged procedures, far from the spotlight.

As the country continues its institutional shift towards the Fifth Republic, the detention of such emblematic figures as a former minister of the armed forces is a reminder that the stability promoted by Lomé rests on strict control. This strategy ensures the continuity of the state, but it continues to fuel criticism from human rights organisations about the gradual shrinking of civic and political space in Togo.

By Pierre Tchuente — Security and Policy Analyst