Cameroon: AI Writes Defence Minister, Makes Demand

Amnesty International (AI) has called on the Cameroonian government to ensure that activist Abdul Karim Ali is immediately released or charged with a recognisable criminal offence.

Development Diaries reports that the call was made in a letter to the country’s Minister of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo.

Abdul Karim Ali, a prominent Cameroonian peace activist who also ran the Peace Research Center has been arbitrarily detained without charge since August 2022.

While the authorities have provided no formal reason for his detention and that of three of his friends, Rabio Enuah and Yenkong Sulemanu, he was interrogated repeatedly about a video he made on 09 July, 2022, denouncing a Cameroonian military chief for allegedly torturing civilians.

The three men have appeared before the Military Tribunal of Yaoundé twice since they were transferred to the Secretary of State Defence Detention Centre in November 2022, but have never been presented before the state prosecutor.

While no formal reason has been given for his detention, Karim Ali was interrogated repeatedly about a video he made on 9 July, 2022 denouncing a Cameroonian military chief known as ‘Moja Moja’ for reportedly torturing civilians.

Since 2016, the Cameroon authorities have been imprisoning hundreds of people simply for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

‘As of 27 February, 2023 Abdul Karim Ali has spent 200 days in detention without charge, in violation of Cameroonian law and international human rights standards’, AI said in its letter.

‘If denouncing the actions of Chief Moja Moja is the only reason for his arrest, he should be released immediately, since his detention would stem solely from the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression. Neither Rabio Enuah nor Yenkong Sulemanu has been charged with any crime either’.

Freedom House also rated Algeria ‘not free’ in its 2022 Freedom in the World report of political rights and civil liberties, with the country earning 15 points out of a possible 100.

Photo source:  Amnesty International

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp

About the Author