Two French documentary filmmakers and their Togolese fixer have been jailed in Togo following more than three weeks in custody, according to the media freedom organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The trio, identified as Gaël Mocaër, Sebastian Perez Pezzani, and fixer Fred Vedomey, were placed in pretrial detention on Monday. Authorities have charged them with making “false declarations” in relation to immigration procedures.
The filmmakers were originally arrested by police on July 27 in Kara, located in northern Togo, while working on an episode for a documentary series commissioned by a French public television network. Following their initial arrest, the crew had their equipment seized. They were briefly released on July 30 before being rearrested and transferred to the capital, Lomé.
The Paris-based RSF has called for the immediate release of the three, labeling the ongoing legal proceedings as “unjustified” and “disproportionate.” The advocacy group also noted that Sebastian Perez Pezzani is suffering from serious health issues that require urgent medical attention. RSF asserts that the filmmakers had applied for work visas and received necessary authorization from Togo’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts.
However, Togolese officials have disputed these claims. Isaac Tchiakpé, the Minister of Culture, rejected the assertion that his ministry had granted the crew permission to film, stating, “They would not have been detained if they had had the proper authorizations and followed the required procedures.” Furthermore, Togo’s media regulator, the HARC, reported that it had received no accreditation requests from the filmmakers or France Télévisions and was unaware of their filming activities in the country's north.
The incident occurs against a backdrop of strained relations between the Togolese government and French media. In June 2025, Togo suspended broadcasts from French international outlets Radio France Internationale and France 24 for three months, citing biased reporting regarding protests against leader Faure Gnassingbé. Additionally, Togo has increasingly aligned itself with Russia, as well as the military-led nations of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which have moved to sideline French influence. Last year, Togo and Russia entered into a military cooperation agreement covering joint training exercises.
Northern Togo has been plagued in recent years by attacks from armed groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.
