Togo: Charges confirmed against two French filmmakers arrested at the end of July

The Togolese Ministries of Security and Justice stated on Saturday that they possessed "serious and consistent evidence" against Gaël Mocaër, Sebastian Perez Pezzani, and their Togolese associate Fred Vedomey, who have been detained since July 27. Their lawyers deny any wrongdoing, while Reporters Without Borders is calling for their immediate release.

This is the first official statement from Lomé on this matter. In a press release published on Saturday, August 22, the Togolese Ministries of Security and Justice justified the detention of the two French directors Gaël Mocaër and Sebastian Perez Pezzani, as well as their Togolese collaborator Fred Vedomey, who were arrested on July 27 while filming an episode of "Roads of the Impossible", a documentary series broadcast on France Télévisions.

The Togolese justice system accuses them, in particular, of having used a drone in areas "subject to a particularly sensitive security regime," including the Savanes region in the far north of the country, which has been under a state of emergency since 2022 due to jihadist threats. Since the end of 2021, this area has been exposed to incursions by armed groups operating from Burkina Faso, linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Authorities are also pointing to irregularities in the filming permits. The team claimed to have a document issued by the Ministry of Tourism on June 19, 2026, but this document was "signed solely in the name of Mr. Vedomey Komi" and "strictly limited to specific locations," not covering the Savanes region. The government also mentions "several irregularities in the preparation and execution" of the mission, without providing further details.

The three men were brought before the Lomé prosecutor's office on August 17. Lomé maintains that they are being held "in conditions that comply with international norms and standards," that they are receiving French consular assistance, and that they have been able to contact their families.

Their Togolese lawyer, Martial Akakpo, strongly denies the allegations: his clients "do not admit to any wrongdoing." Patrice Lucchini, managing director of Tony Comiti Productions, stated on Wednesday that the team was "in compliance" and had "inadvertently crossed a boundary line." Reporters Without Borders (RSF) maintains that the three men "acted transparently," obtained prior authorization, declared the professional nature of their trip, and reported their equipment to customs. "There is no evidence to suggest that they knowingly made 'false declarations,'" stated RSF's executive director, Thibaut Bruttin.

The organization also reports that Sebastian Perez Pezzani "is suffering from serious health problems" and asks the Togolese authorities to authorize "his urgent medical evacuation to France".