GENEVA - The Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor*, today renewed her call on authorities in Togo to release Togolese-Irish citizen and human rights defender Abdoul Aziz Goma from prison on the seventh anniversary of his arrest.
"Abdoul has now been arbitrarily detained for seven years and has been on hunger strike since 8 November 2025, protesting against the injustices he has faced. As he marks his 44th day without food, I am seriously concerned for his life," Lawlor said.
Abdoul Aziz Goma was arrested in Lomé in 2018 after providing shelter to a group of young people who had travelled to the capital to demonstrate. Although he did not participate in any protests himself, Aziz Goma offered help to the youths when approached by an acquaintance.
Aziz Goma was initially held in secret for a number of years before being transferred to Togo's formal prison system in 2022. He has been reportedly subjected to ill-treatment and denial of adequate medical care in prison, which have left him with a debilitating health condition.
In February 2025, when he was finally tried, Aziz Goma was convicted on multiple charges, including undermining national security, in a single day procedure and sentenced to ten years in prison.
"The Togolese Criminal Procedure Code provides for conditional release of prisoners who have served at least half of their sentence," the expert said.
"Abdoul fits this criterion and has applied for such a release. Given his severe ill health, he also meets the criteria outlined by the President of the Council of Ministers on 2 December 2025 for cases to be considered for clemency."
"I urge the President to find a way, through one of these mechanisms, to immediately secure Abdoul's release."
Aziz Goma is reportedly very weak from hunger and reduced to spending much of the day lying down.
In September 2023, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that Aziz Goma's ongoing detention was arbitrary.
The Special Rapporteur has also raised her concerns about Aziz Goma's treatment and ongoing detention with Togolese authorities in 2021 and 2024.
