According to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Togo, there are no dedicated immigration detention centres in the country, and thus it did not answer questions on the GDP Covid-19 survey concerning measures taken to safeguard immigration detainees. However, the commission appeared to indicate that due to border closures, non-citizens stranded in Togo whose […]
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DETENTION CAPACITY
ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION
ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT DATA
PRISON DATA
POPULATION DATA
LEGAL & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Does the Country Have Specific Laws that Provide for Migration-Related Detention?
Detention-Related Legislation
GROUNDS FOR DETENTION
Immigration-Status-Related Grounds
Criminal Penalties for Immigration-Related Violations
Has the Country Decriminalised Immigration-Related Violations?
LENGTH OF DETENTION
DETENTION INSTITUTIONS
PROCEDURAL STANDARDS & SAFEGUARDS
COSTS & OUTSOURCING
COVID-19 DATA
TRANSPARENCY
MONITORING
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING BODIES
NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISMS (OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE)
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOS)
GOVERNMENTAL MONITORING BODIES
INTERNATIONAL DETENTION MONITORING
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES & TREATY BODIES
International Treaties Ratified
Ratification Year
Observation Date
CAT, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
1987
2017
ICPED, International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
2014
2017
CTOCTP, Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children
2009
2017
CTOCSP, Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
2010
2017
Ratio of relevant international treaties ratified
Ratio: 13/19
Individual Complaints Procedures
Acceptance Year
ICCPR, First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966
1988
1988
Relevant Recommendations or Observations Issued by Treaty Bodies
Recommendation Year
Observation Date
Committee on the Rights of the Child
44. the Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Prohibit the detention of asylum-seeking children and children in
situations of migration, in law and practice, and ensure that the principle of non-
refoulement is applied;
(b) Ensure that the placement of unaccompanied and separated children,
including those from Burkina Faso, is carried out on the basis of an assessment of their
best interests as a primary consideration, and work with the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red
Cross and other relevant stakeholders on family tracing;
(c) Build the resilience of systems and communities and pursue the
implementation of the emergency resilience programme in the Savanes Region, focusing
on access to all essential social services, including protection and psychological support
for children.
2023
2023
2023
> UN Special Procedures
> UN Universal Periodic Review
REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS
Regional Legal Instruments
Year of Ratification (Treaty) / Transposed (Directive) / Adoption (Regulation)
Observation Date
HEALTH CARE PROVISION
HEALTH IMPACTS
COVID-19
Country Updates
According to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Togo, there are no dedicated immigration detention centres in the country, and thus it did not answer questions on the GDP Covid-19 survey concerning measures taken to safeguard immigration detainees. However, the commission appeared to indicate that due to border closures, non-citizens stranded in Togo whose visas have expired during the pandemic did not face any administrative measures or sanctions (“ne sont pas inquiétés”).
The first case of Covid-19 in Togo was identified as being a Togolese national who returned to the country on 6 March from Europe via Benin. By 31 July, there had been 908 reported cases in the country and 18 related deaths. According to the Togolese government, 11,968 refugees are currently living in the country; UNHCR and partner agencies have since the start of the pandemic reportedly provided various forms of assistance, including donations of food, water, masks, disinfectant gel, and cleaning materials.
In its response to the GDP survey, the National Human Rights Commission said that “illegal migrants” are required to seek to regularise their situation in order to undertake “legal activities.” Those who fail to regularise are told to leave the country within a “reasonable delay” rather than face “imprisonment.” However, the commission did not indicate what remedies are pursued in cases where people refuse or are unable to leave the country after being ordered to do so.
Many of these details were previously reported by the Togolese Ministry of Public Service, Labour, Administrative Reform and Social Protection, in March 2019, as part of its submission to the UN Committee on Migrant Workers’ questionnaire concerning “General Comment No. 5 on Migrants’ Rights to Liberty and Freedom from Arbitrary Detention Questionnaire.” The ministry said that immigration detention in Togo did not exist, saying that the country instead favours the regularisation of undocumented migrants. It also said that there were no immigration detention centres in the country as well as no criminal sanctions for irregular entry or stay in Togo “for refugees or asylum seekers, arriving directly from a country where their life or freedom was threatened,” in accordance with Article 21 Law N° 2016 - 021 of 24 August 2016. However, similar to the National Human Rights Commission’s response to the GDP Covid-19 survey, the ministry failed to provide any information about measures taken in cases where people refuse or are unable to leave the country after being ordered to do so.
Government Agencies
Ministère des Affaires Etrangères - https://diplomatie.gouv.tg/
Ministrère de la Justice - https://minjustg.com/
Bureau Immgration - ACP - https://acp.tg/bureau-immigration/
International Organisations
UNHCR Country Page - https://www.unhcr.org/where-we-work/countries/togo
IOM Country Page - https://www.iom.int/countries/togo
ILO Country Page - https://www.ilo.org/regions-and-countries/africa/togo
NGO & Research Institutions
Médiateur de la Répulique du Togo - https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/africa/west-and-central-africa/togo/
Caritas Country Page - https://caritas-africa.org/en/caritas-togo-ocdi/
ADA-Togo - https://www.ongadatogo.org/
Amnesty Country Page - https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/africa/west-and-central-africa/togo/
