With eight men still in jail for protesting election reforms, a Togolese opposition leader has stepped forward with a plan she says will lead to freedom. Isabelle Ameganvi is asking all women in the West African nation to withhold sex from Monday to Sunday. Similar protests have been tried in Liberia, Kenya, the Philippines and several other countries, and some have actually led to opposing parties restarting negotiations.
The brouhaha in Togo began with a series of new measures passed by the government ahead of the upcoming October elections. According to CNN, the opposition is convinced the reforms greatly benefit the ruling party. Last week, 120 protesters were arrested after they took to the streets to voice disapproval. 8 still remain behind bars. The government claims the men are being detained because they had knives. The protesters are demanding their freedom.
In addition to withholding sex from men, Ameganvi is asking all women to wear red pants on Thursday to symbolize their frustration and anger at what’s happening. If no forward progress is made by that evening, she’s prepared to take things a step further…
”If our people are not released by Thursday, the women are going to rush to the prison naked to get them released, only in red pants and nothing else.”
Authorities have already released a statement saying any topless women rushing the prison will be arrested for offending the collective morality, among other things, but as of now, it’s unclear whether it will even get to that point. The government could release the protesters before Thursday, negotiations could begin or the opposition could back down. We’ll keep you updated.
