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Two leaders of an opposition party in Togo, the Pan-African National Party (PNP), were arrested following large-scale demonstrations calling for a restriction of presidential conditions, a coalition of parties announced on Thursday. d & # 39; opposition.
Gueffe Nouridine and Kezire Azizou, prominent members of the PNP, were questioned by Togolese intelligence services before being arrested on Tuesday and detained at the Lomé civil prison.
The leaders were accused of "disregarding the order of the authorities on the designated routes of the peaceful demonstrations of April 13," said the coalition in a statement.
"This latest arrest comes after a number of regrettable events."
One protester died and dozens of others were wounded, according to the government, at a Saturday opposition rally against President Faure Gnbadingbe in Bafilo, northern Togo, which dispersed by security forces.
Gnbadingbe has been in power since 2005.
On the night of the rally, the home of PNP President Tikpi Atchadam was ransacked by security forces, who also arrested 30 party members. Twenty were sentenced and imprisoned, according to the opposition.
The coalition statement denounced "the violent repression of civilians by the defense and security forces".
She called for an "independent body to shed light on the violence perpetrated on 13 April against the civilian population" and that the culprits be "brought to justice".
Last week, the PNP had called the protests nationwide, but the Minister of Territorial Administration, Payadowa Boukpessi, only authorized demonstrations in the capital, Lome, and in two other cities – Afagnan and Sokodé – which are strongholds of the PNP.
Police forces used tear gas on protesters gathered at unauthorized sites. In Sokodé, they clashed with protesters who had erected fire pyres on fire.
The PNP has been demanding constitutional reforms for 15 years in the Gnbadingbe reign. He succeeded his father, General Eyadema Gnbadingbe, who had ruled the country with an iron fist for 38 years.
For nearly two years, the opposition parties organized regular protests.
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