Abdoul Aziz Goma, an Irish citizen of Togolese descent, often made business trips to Togo. On one of those trips in December 2018, he answered a friend’s call to assist a group of eight young, peaceful protestors who were stranded and needed accommodation. For that action, he was arrested, tortured, and detained in inhumane conditions, sometimes without access to legal aid, adequate food, or healthcare. After finally beginning a trial on February 3, 2025, a court in Lomé sentenced him, the same day, to 10 years’ imprisonment.
In March 2023, Freedom Now and law firm McKool Smith petitioned the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on Abdoul’s behalf. The Working Group subsequently determined that Abdoul’s imprisonment was a violation of international law and that his rights to assembly, association, and a fair trial were infringed. We worked closely with members of the European Parliament and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders to put pressure on the Togolese government to release Abdoul.
The Togolese government finally released Abdoul from prison on January 1, 2026. Two weeks later, he left Togo and travelled to the United Kingdom, where he lives today. Unfortunately, prison conditions and hunger strikes he conducted while in prison to protest his conditions took a toll on his health and we are working with partner organizations to ensure he has the necessary funds to address the mental and physical trauma he suffered.
Abdoul has dedicated himself to advocating for others who remain wrongfully detained in Togo, collaborating with activists in exile to bring greater attention to unjust detention and poor prison conditions in Togo. You can watch him discuss his experience and the critical role the UN and civil society played in securing his freedom.