Togo’s Former Armed Forces Minister Is on Hunger Strike After a Year Without Trial
TOGO · JUSTICE
Key Facts
- —What happened Marguerite Gnakade has been held for a year without trial, having been arrested in Lomé on 17 September 2025.
- —Who she is Togo’s former armed forces minister and the first woman to hold that post, appointed in 2020 and removed in 2022.
- —The charges Aggravated disturbance of public order, incitement to popular uprising, incitement of the military to revolt and threatening national security.
- —How far the case has moved Her lawyer says she has been heard only once on the merits in twelve months.
- —Her condition She has been on hunger strike since late July 2026 and is held in isolation.
- —The family connection She is a sister-in-law of Faure Gnassingbe, who leads Togo’s government.
One year, four charges, one hearing on the merits, and a hunger strike now in its eighth week.
Marguerite Gnakade, Togo’s former armed forces minister, has been in detention for one year without trial. She was arrested in Lomé on 17 September 2025.
What She Is Accused Of
Gnakade faces four charges. They are aggravated disturbance of public order, incitement to popular uprising, incitement of the military to revolt and threatening national security.
She has not been tried on any of them. Her lawyer says she has been heard only once on the merits in the twelve months since her arrest.
Who She Is
Gnakade was appointed to head Togo’s armed forces ministry in 2020, the first woman to hold the post. She was removed in 2022.
She is also a sister-in-law of Faure Gnassingbe, who leads the Togolese government. That relationship is part of why the case has attracted attention.
What She Had Been Saying
Before her arrest Gnakade had been publishing videos and opinion pieces calling for change at the top of the Togolese state. She used social media rather than party structures.
The charges concern that speech rather than any alleged act. That is the central feature of the case.
Her Condition in Detention
Gnakade has been on hunger strike since late July 2026. She is held in isolation.
According to reporting on her conditions, she has been denied writing materials, phone access and time outdoors, with minimal visits. Those restrictions have continued through the hunger strike.
How Togo Is Governed Now
Since a constitutional change on 3 May 2025, executive power in Togo sits with the president of the council of ministers. Faure Gnassingbe holds that office.
The presidency of the republic is now a largely ceremonial post, held by Jean-Lucien Savi de Tove. Readers following older coverage will find Gnassingbe described by the earlier title.
A Long Family Tenure
Gnassingbe Eyadema ruled Togo from 1967 until his death in 2005. Faure Gnassingbe has led the country since that year.
The 2025 constitutional change moved executive power to an office without a fixed term limit of the previous kind. Critics described it as extending that tenure by another route.
Why a Year Without Trial Matters Legally
Pre-trial detention is meant to be exceptional and time-limited in most legal systems, including Togo’s. A year with one hearing on the merits is a long way from that standard.
The length of detention is separate from the strength of the charges. A case can be both serious and improperly slow.
What It Means for Others
For Togolese citizens using social media to criticise the government, the case sets a visible marker. The charges attach to speech.
For foreign residents, the practical relevance is narrow but real. Public political commentary carries risk that it does not carry in many other countries.
What Is Not Yet Known
No trial date has been set. The investigating authorities have not said when the file will be completed.
Nor has the government responded publicly to the reports of her detention conditions. Her current medical state has not been independently assessed.
What to Watch
Whether a trial date is set, or the investigation is closed without one. Either would end the current limbo.
Watch also for any independent access to Gnakade. Confirmation of her condition has so far come through her lawyer and family.
More: Africa news and analysis, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Marguerite Gnakade?
Togo’s former armed forces minister, the first woman to hold the post, appointed in 2020 and removed in 2022.
When was she arrested?
On 17 September 2025, in Lomé.
What is she charged with?
Aggravated disturbance of public order, incitement to popular uprising, incitement of the military to revolt and threatening national security.
Has she been tried?
No. Her lawyer says she has been heard only once on the merits in a year.
What is her condition?
She has been on hunger strike since late July 2026 and is held in isolation.
Who leads Togo’s government?
Faure Gnassingbe, as president of the council of ministers since the constitutional change of 3 May 2025.
Sources: French-language reporting on the anniversary of the arrest, 17 September 2026, including allAfrica, Jeune Afrique and Afriquinfos; statements by her lawyer.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error