Togo Detains French Journalists Gaël Mocaër, Sebastian Perez Pezzani Over Document Irregularities

Togolese authorities have formally charged French journalists Gaël Mocaër and Sebastian Perez Pezzani with using incorrect documents. The two men, detained since 7 May, were reportedly in Togo to photograph a pineapple farm, according to a statement from Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

RSF has condemned the detention and subsequent charges, characterising them as “unjustified and disproportionate”. The organisation maintains that Mocaër and Pezzani were in possession of valid press accreditations issued by the Togolese High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC).

The journalists were initially apprehended by security forces in Gnassimgbé, approximately 360km (224 miles) north of the capital, Lomé. They were then transported to the intelligence services headquarters in Lomé.

This incident follows a pattern of restricted press freedom in Togo. In February 2024, journalist Ferdinand Ayité faced an international arrest warrant after fleeing the country, accused of “spreading false allegations” regarding two government ministers. Togo's press freedom ranking, as assessed by RSF, stands at 108 out of 180 countries.