Two French documentary filmmakers and their Togolese fixer have been jailed in Togo after more than three weeks in custody, according to the advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The three were charged with making "false declarations" in immigration procedures and placed in pretrial detention on Monday.
Filmmakers Gaël Mocaër and Sebastian Perez Pezzani, along with fixer Fred Vedomey, were arrested on July 27 in Kara, northern Togo, where they were reportedly filming an episode for a French public television network. RSF, a Paris-based media freedom organization, has called for their immediate release, describing the proceedings as "unjustified" and "disproportionate."
RSF stated that the filmmakers had obtained work visas and authorization from Togo’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts for the documentary shoot. However, Togolese Minister of Culture Isaac Tchiakpé denied this, telling The Associated Press that the crew would not have been detained if they had possessed the proper authorizations and followed required procedures. Togo's media regulator, HARC, also stated it had received no accreditation request from the filmmakers or France Télévisions and had not been informed of their filming activities in the north.
Northern Togo has recently experienced an increase in attacks from armed groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. The detentions occur amid a period of strained relations between Togo and French media, as well as Togo's shifting geopolitical alignments. In recent years, Togo has strengthened ties with Russia and has moved closer to West African nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which have expelled French forces and increased cooperation with Moscow. Last year, Russia and Togo signed a military cooperation agreement.
In June 2025, Togolese authorities suspended broadcasts by French international outlets Radio France Internationale and France 24 for three months, citing inaccurate and biased reporting concerning protests against President Faure Gnassingbé. RSF noted that police seized the crew's equipment upon their arrest. The three were briefly released on July 30 before being rearrested and transferred to the capital, Lomé. RSF also raised concerns about Perez Pezzani's serious health issues, stating he requires immediate medical attention.