Togo’s government says it has “serious and corroborating evidence” against two French journalists and their Togolese fixer who have been detained since last month while filming a documentary in the West African country.
French filmmakers Gaël Mocaër and Sebastian Perez Pezzani, along with Togolese fixer Fred Vedomey, have been held since July 27 and were placed in pre-trial detention on August 17. They face accusations related to making false declarations, according to Togolese authorities.
The two journalists were working on an episode of Les Routes de l’impossible, a documentary series broadcast by France Télévisions, when they were detained in northern Togo.
In a joint statement on Saturday, Togo’s justice and security ministries said the documentary team had used a drone in areas considered sensitive because of the risk of militant attacks.
Authorities said the filming permit carried only the name of Vedomey, the Togolese fixer, rather than the two French journalists, and that the authorisation was strictly limited to specifically designated areas.
The government said investigators had identified “several irregularities” in the way the filming operation was conducted, without providing further details.
The three men appeared before prosecutors on August 17 with their lawyer present. Their lawyer, Martial Akakpo, told AFP that his clients deny the allegations.
Press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for their immediate release, describing their continued detention as unjustified and disproportionate. RSF says the filmmakers entered Togo on work visas and had obtained authorisation to film.
The case has drawn particular concern over Perez Pezzani’s health. RSF and his production company, Tony Comiti Productions, say he suffers from serious health problems requiring urgent treatment.
Patrice Lucchini, head of the production company, has said a Togolese doctor warned that Perez Pezzani could be at risk of developing sepsis if his condition is not properly treated.
The production company maintains that the filmmakers complied with Togolese regulations, saying they obtained filming permits and declared their equipment to customs.
The International Federation of Journalists has also demanded the trio’s release, joining several French journalists’ unions in describing their detention as disproportionate.
Togo ranks 97th out of 180 countries in RSF’s latest World Press Freedom Index.
Security has deteriorated in the country’s far north in recent years as armed groups operating from neighbouring Burkina Faso have carried out attacks in the border region.
The arrests also come amid heightened tensions involving French media in Togo. In June 2025, authorities suspended broadcasts by Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24 for three months after accusing the outlets of airing inaccurate and biased reporting following opposition protests.