A French national detained in Togo during political unrest returned to France Thursday following his release by local authorities.
Steeve Rouyar, a 44-year-old father from Guadeloupe, ended his months-long ordeal after being arrested during anti-government protests in Lomé.
Authorities apprehended Rouyar in June during a rare demonstration organized by the June 6 Movement against long-standing President Faure Gnassingbe.
The Charges and Context
Prosecutors initially accused the expatriate of undermining state security and distributing subversive flyers, charges carrying decades of potential prison time.
His homecoming marks a quiet victory for diplomacy against the backdrop of Togo’s iron-fisted governance and simmering civil dissent.
While the French foreign ministry offered few specifics, the release coincides with a massive year-end presidential pardon of 1,511 prisoners.
A Long Journey Home
Rouyar, who had resided in the West African nation since late 2024, now reunites with his family on French soil.
The liberation of this protest figure closes a tense diplomatic chapter between the French government and the Gnassingbe administration.
Would you like me to research the current political status of the “June 6 Movement” or provide more context on the 2025 Togolese protests?