Authorities in Togo are cracking down on media and the opposition, report says ahead of election

By ERICK KAGLAN
Associated Press

LOME, Togo (AP) — Amnesty International says authorities in Togo have repressed the media and prevented civilians from gathering to protest peacefully. In its an annual report published Wednesday, ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled to take place at the end of this month, the rights group said two newspapers in Togo were forced to close for several months last year, while a number of journalists were arrested or hit with hefty fines after reporting on corruption. . The report comes at a time of heightened tension in Togo, a country of about 8 million people that has been ruled by the same family for almost 60 years.