Cameroon: Nguessan’s Ordeal and Addressing Arbitrary Detention

Dorgelesse Nguessan

Dorgelesse Nguessan, our esteemed ‘guest’ of the Cameroonian government for the past four years, has finally been granted a temporary leave of absence.

Development Diaries reports that Nguessan was arbitrarily detained for attending a peaceful protest in Cameroon. In other words, she was detained because she dared to express a dissenting opinion.

Now, let’s get this straight. Nguessan, a simple hairdresser, just wanted a decent economy, a right guaranteed by the Cameroonian constitution.

You see, Cameroon has a unique brand of justice. They call it ‘hospitality’.  Our friends at Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) can definitely relate.

They have probably even received complimentary ‘hospitality packages’ from various regimes around the world, complete with five-star accommodations and complimentary ‘disappearance’ services.

And the best part? The hospitality package often includes a complimentary ‘sentence reduction’ after a generous stay, just to show their appreciation for your commitment to the programme.

One thing is clear: We Africans have mastered the art of signing international human rights treaties while simultaneously inventing innovative ways to circumvent them. Haven’t you observed this trend, too?

We have become experts in the art of ‘peaceful protests’ suppression, where ‘peaceful’ apparently translates to ‘silence’.

We are so good at enforcing ‘arbitrary detention’, turning our prisons into exclusive resorts for those who dare question the divine wisdom of our wonderful leaders.

Development Diaries calls on the government of Cameroon to immediately end the practice of arbitrary detention and the use of the justice system to suppress dissent.

To promote public trust, the government must recognise that peaceful protest and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights, not acts of insurrection.

We also call for thorough and impartial investigations into the arbitrary detention of Nguessan and other protesters.  Those responsible for human rights violations, including security forces and judicial officials, must face justice.

Finally, the President Paul Biya-led government of Cameroon must uphold the country’s obligations under international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples.

Photo source: Amnesty International

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