The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) has added its voice to mounting calls for the unconditional release of Junior Ngombe, a young activist who is being detained at the State Secretariat of Defence (SED).
In a statement on Tuesday, July 30, CHRDA said 23-year-old Ngombe’s arbitrary arrest and detention “is unacceptable.”
He was arrested at his job site in Douala and shoved in custody on Thursday, July 25, after he criticized President Paul Biya’s 41-year-old regime.
Reports say he is being charged with “incitement of rebellion” and “propagation of false information.”
A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION
CHRDA considers the detention of Junior Ngombe as a clear violation of human rights, notably freedom of thought and expression.
“Freedom of thought, expression, and association is a fundamental human right guaranteed in Cameroon by the 1996 Constitution of Cameroon as amended, the 1990 Liberty Laws, and the Regional and International Human Rights Convention duly ratified by Cameroon, such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The state of Cameroon has continued to violate these laws, therefore limiting free speech,” the statement from the CHRDA read.
The organization has urged the State of Cameroon “to order for the unconstitutional release of Junior Ngombe so that he can enjoy his constitutional right to freedom of expression.”
Aside from that, the NGO has equally demanded the “unconditional release of all other opinion holders and activists who have been incarcerated and detained for legally exercising their constitutional rights of freedom of expression and association.”
The aim of CHRDA is for the state to “comply with national and international laws that seek to guarantee freedom of expression and association.”
The 23-year-old is a Cameroonian activist and founder of a platform known as “Jeunesse Debout Pour Le Changement,” where he has been decrying government lapses.
He has been very popular on social media platforms, especially TikTok, because of his continuous calls for the Cameroonian youth to enlist massively on the electoral register.
This will enable them to participate in the 2025 presidential election and the 2026 municipal and parliamentary elections.
He has also been noted for his criticisms of the excesses of the government of Cameroon.
“His arrest is therefore seen to be linked to his activism,” CHRDA said.
MOUNTING CALLS FOR RELEASE
Before CHRDA’s release, human rights defenders such as Human Rights Watch and politicians like Maurice Kamto, Akere Muna, and Kah Wala, Michele Ndoki, have been calling for Ngombe’s immediate release.
These figures argue that Cameroon’s government is increasingly restricting freedom of expression, especially as the 2025 presidential elections approach.
Recent statements by government officials have further fueled concerns about these restrictions.
The Senior Divisional Officer for the Mfoundi Division warned that “anyone who dangerously insults state institutions or the person who embodies them could be banned from residing in the said division.”
Additionally, Cameroon’s Minister of Communication, René Emmanuel Sadi, advised against using “irrelevant language” against state institutions and the Head of State.
“These outings have been qualified by both national and international human rights advocates, journalists, political leaders, and other opinion holders as an attempt to limit freedom of expression,” CHRDA stated.
The organization continues to advocate for adherence to national and international laws that guarantee freedom of expression and association.
