French national Steeve Rouyar was arrested in Togo after being accused of participating in anti-government protests. HANDOUT / AFP
A Frenchman detained last year in Togo over alleged involvement in anti-government protests arrived back in France on Thursday, January 1, after his release, the French foreign ministry said.
Steeve Rouyar, a 44-year-old father of two originally from Guadeloupe, had been living in the west African nation since late 2024 when he was arrested in June. The prosecutor's office in the capital Lome said he was one of around 50 protesters arrested on June 6 during a rare anti-government demonstration in Togo, led with an iron fist by Faure Gnassingbe for the past two decades.
"A decision by the Togolese judiciary" allowed his release, the French foreign ministry said, without providing further details.
The demonstrations began in response to calls for civil disobedience sent out on social media by the June 6 Movement (M66), whose name refers to the longtime Togolese leader's birthday and the day the protests began.
