Togo detains French filmmakers over alleged immigration violations, advocacy group says

According to an advocacy group, two French documentary filmmakers and their Togolese fixer have been detained in Togo over alleged immigration violations. Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based media freedom group, called for their immediate release. The filmmakers, Gaël Mocaër and Sebastian Perez Pezzani, along with their fixer Fred Vedomey, were placed in pretrial detention on Monday and charged with making "false declarations" in immigration procedures.

The detentions occurred in northern Togo, an area that has experienced attacks from armed groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Togo has recently strengthened its ties with Russia, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, while suspending broadcasts of French international outlets Radio France Internationale and France 24 for inaccurate and biased reporting during protests against leader Faure Gnassingbé.