Buea-based human rights lawyer, Barrister Edward Ewule Lyonga, has been awarded the 2023 Canadian Human Rights Defenders Award.
He received the accolade Thursday, December 7, at the residence of the Canadian Ambassador to Cameroon, in the presence of government officials, members of the diplomatic corps and the Cameroon Bar.
Handing over the award, Ambassador Lorainne Anderson indicated that Barrister Ewule was distinguished among many rights defenders in Cameroon, whose works have foiled the many abuses in the country.
She affirmed that Barrister Ewule stood out among his peers for putting his life in the line in defending the less privileged.
“It is our honour to handover this award to Barrister Edward Lyonga Ewule for his defence of freedom of the press, and the rights of journalists. We’re pleased to recognize his tireless efforts in advocating for the equality and protection of all especially those who face discrimination within the Cameroon legal system.
He is well recognized with the advocacy and the defence of prison rights and actively collaborates with the international Federation of Women’s rights in defence of case of violations against women,” she explained.
While receiving the award, Barrister Ewule affirmed that the award strengthens his resolve to put up more advocacy in defending the rights of those abused in the country.
He dedicated the award to his colleagues who have put up as much defence as him, in reducing the number of rights abuses in Cameroon.
He also dedicated the award to his clients whom on daily basis suffer some form of rights abuse.
This award adds up to three others accorded Barrister Ewule in the past five years.
In 2021 he was awarded Human Rights Defender of the Year by the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) as well as another from the Pan African Cultural Festival (PANAFES).
In addition, he bagged the award for Most Consistent Human Rights Defender at the Golden Awards organized by the Dream Network.
The legal luminary, since 2019, has put putting up strong defence against rights violators.
Among many of the rights cases he successfully defended was that of a pregnant woman, Antoinette Kongnso, who was molested and arbitrarily detained for 16 months for “failing to report terrorism”.
Thanks to continuous advocacy from Barrister Ewule and a team of other lawyers and rights defenders, she was freed from the Buea Central Prison in February this year.
The Canadian Human Rights Award honoring Ewule’s strides is an annual event organised to celebrate actors of human rights defence across the year.
It is organised as part of activities to commemorate the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrated on December 10 every year.
Mimi Mefo Info
