Togo: President's sister-in-law, a former defence minister, arrested

Marguerite Gnakadè was a former defence minister and is the sister-in-law of president Faure Gnassingbé. She had repeatedly called for him to step down and end the family's regime over the past months.

The sister-in-law of Togo's leader Faure Gnassingbé was arrested at her home on Wednesday, according to local media reports and security sources.

Marguerite Gnakadè headed the Defence Ministry from 2020 to 2022 and is also the widow of Ernest Gnassingbé, Faure Gnassingbé's late brother.

For the past months, Gnakadè became an ever more vocal critic of the regime, calling for Togo's president to resign and end the family's authoritarian rule in the country.

Faure Gnassingbé has been president since 2005, after taking over from his father, who ruled the country from 1967 for a period of 38 years.

The rare opponents of Gnassingbé daring to take to social media have criticised the arrest:

Faure Gnassingbé took on a new position as President of the Council of Ministers in May after a constitutional change, which allows him to rule without term limits and consolidate executive power in his hands.

The change in the constitution and the continuation of Gnassingbé's reign led to widespread protests in the country, which were however violently repressed by authorities.

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