27/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - After the debate on 19 March on Yannick Bigah, President of Acat-Togo (Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture), the EP's Commission on Development exhorted "the Togolese authorities to guarantee the safety of Acat members, to allow them to carry out their work defending human rights, and, this particular situation apart, to improve their protection", according to a press release. Mr Bigah had to seek safety abroad last February, to escape harassment by the Togolese authorities, having spoken out about the human rights situation in his country at an EP hearing.