Togo: prisoners again allowed to receive visits
Lomé prison (illustration).
Carine Frenk/ RFI
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
For two years, they have not had visits from their relatives due to health measures linked to Covid-19. From April 22, 2022, prisoners in Togo will once again be able to meet their parents, friends and members of the civil society in the parlor.
The lifting of restrictions is partial: under strict sanitary conditions and only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, but lawyers and human rights activists welcome the authorities' decision.
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The Togolese opposition and civil society have been calling for months for
the reopening of prisons to visitors
, after the relaxation of health restrictions everywhere else.
"
Relief
"
Among the most mobilized, Monzolouwe Atcholi Kao, the president of the Association of Victims of Torture in Togo (Asvitto) is therefore satisfied.
With reservations about the restrictions maintained: “
It is a feeling of relief for the many families of the detainees.
This allows us to resume monitoring activities in places of deprivation of freedoms.
However, the conditions that have been imposed, the health pass and the PCR test, cannot be met by many people.
It's only three days a week and this measure can cause a lot of damage for all those who are sick and who need products to be cured.
»
Catch up
For two years the lawyers were the only ones to be able to visit their client, with authorization.
But as master Elom Kpade explains, the quarantine of the prisoners had blocked the legal proceedings: “
Every time you are asked to appear, you will be told no.
You are in quarantine, you are not there, warned, natural person at the hearing.
Automatically, we will not be able to judge you, which lengthens the delays and which fundamentally violates the rights of the defense.
So we can only welcome this measure
.
»
The lawyer hopes that the Togolese judicial authorities will make up for lost time so that the prisoners can be quickly determined about their fate.
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To read also: Togo: the ECOWAS Court of Justice agrees with the opponent Agbéyomé Kodjo against the State
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