13. Law No. 2016-027 of 11 October, 2016 amending Law No. 2015-010 of 24
November 2015, on the new Criminal Code, punishes violations of the right to life
resulting from breaches such as deliberate murder/culpable homicide (Article 165 et
seq) or involuntary homicide, (Article 178 et seq). Threats, even if they are not
followed up with any action (Articles 245 et seq).
The Death Penalty
14. It was abolished in Togo in 2009 by Law No. 2009- 011 of 24 June, 2009. Our
country has ratified the Second Optional Protocol relating to the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Abolishing the Death Penalty of 14
September, 2016.
Article 5: Prohibition of slavery, human trafficking, physical or mental torture
and cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment.
a) Prohibition of Slavery
15. Trafficking of slaves does not exist in Togo. However, in the Maritime and
Pleateaux regions in the south of the country, certain cultural practices akin to
contemporary forms of slavery have been recorded. They include, in particular,
cultural practices in convents where children undergo initiation rites that are
detrimental to their development.
16. In order to combat these practices, a declaration code-named “Notsé
Declaration” was adopted on 16 June, 2013 on the occasion of the African
Children’s Day. The implementation of this declaration enabled 118 children to be
withdrawn from the convents between 2014 and 2016. These children have since then
started attending school.
17. The security agencies ensure compliance with the regulations thereof. Control
measures have been put in place at the borders to detect suspicious movements of
children to other countries. The security forces have been highly sensitised on the
phenomenon of child trafficking at the national level.
18. An Order by the Minister of Security and Civil Protection was incorporated into
child rights modules at the Police and Gendarmerie Academies in 2013. Since then,
2002 police officers and 2600 gendarmes have been trained in the module known as
“Child Rights and Protection” Module.
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