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Calling for political change could land you in jail CameroonThe country has been ruled by the same president for 42 years.
On July 24, three plainclothes men claiming to be intelligence officers arrested Junior Ngombe, a 23-year-old barber and social media activist, outside a shop in Douala, a city in Cameroon’s coastal region. Ngombe was taken to a gendarmerie post in Douala and the next day transferred to the National Secretariat of Defense (Secrétariat d’État à la défense), a gendarmerie-run detention facility in the capital, Yaoundé, according to his lawyer. Human Rights Watch Previously recorded Torture was widely used in the facility.
Ngombe’s lawyers said their client was charged with “inciting rebellion” and “spreading false information.” They believe his arrest was linked to several TikTok videos in which he encourage People are registering to vote in the 2025 presidential election and advocating for democratic change. question The authorities do not tolerate criticism.
For many years, the Cameroonian government has Comprehensive crackdown on the opposition The government has jailed dozens of political activists, human rights defenders, journalists and other government critics, and in recent months has increasingly restricted freedom of expression and association as the presidential election approaches.
In March, Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji prohibit Two opposition alliancesIn June, gendarmes in Ngaoundéré, Adamawa State, Arrested Aboubacar Siddiki, also known as Babadjo, is a well-known artist and member of the opposition Union nationale pour la démocratie et le progrès. He was released after being imprisoned for three months for “insulting” the governor. In July, the National Assembly of Cameroon passed A law that postpones parliamentary elections originally scheduled for February 2025 and extends the terms of office of current lawmakers until March 2026. debate Postponing the elections will make it more difficult for them to win the 2025 presidential election. Also in July, Emmanuel Mariel Djikdent, head of the Mfundi District, issued a decree The threat was to ban “anyone who dangerously insults (state) institutions or their representatives” from the department.
Cameroonian authorities should listen to peaceful calls for reform rather than suppress free speech. They should immediately release Ngombe and drop the charges against him.
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