The European Parliament has overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning the escalating persecution of journalists in Cameroon. This adds to the growing international concern over the deteriorating state of press freedom in the Central African nation. The resolution, adopted on April 3rd, specifically demands the immediate and unconditional release of five prominent journalists: Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, and Tsi Conrad.
The resolution, to which the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) contributed vital information and advocacy, highlights a disturbing pattern of arrests, attacks, censorship, and imprisonment targeting journalists in Cameroon. These actions, often justified by vague anti-state charges, criminal defamation, and accusations of spreading ‘fake news’, are particularly prevalent in the context of reporting on the ongoing crisis in the country’s English-speaking regions.
The Parliament expresses its concern that “press freedom in Cameroon is deteriorating” and observes that while “the Cameroonian Constitution recognises freedom of expression and fundamental rights; journalists face routine detention, attacks, censorship, and imprisonment…”
Alarming Pattern of Rights Violations
The European Parliament expressed deep concern over the Cameroonian authorities’ reliance on lengthy pre-trial detention, arbitrary arrests, and the alarming practice of trying civilians, including journalists, in military courts. This, they say, is a clear violation of international law and due process rights.
“Cameroon uses lengthy pre-trial and arbitrary detention; whereas journalists have been held incommunicado and convictions are handed down by military courts, among other serious violations of fair trial and due process rights,” the resolution said in part. “Cameroon’s police, gendarmes and other government agents have arrested, detained, physically attacked and intimidated journalists and that, once detained, journalists are often ill-treated, tortured and killed.”
The cases of the five named journalists offer a tiny insight into the extensive nature of this crackdown. Authorities sentenced veteran journalist Amadou Vamoulké to a harsh 32 years in prison for alleged mismanagement of the state broadcaster, despite reports of his poor health.
Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, and Tsi Conrad have all faced legal repercussions and lengthy prison terms for their reporting on the volatile situation in Cameroon’s North West and South West regions, including documenting alleged abuses during the armed conflict.
Furthermore, the resolution addressed the unresolved killings of journalists Martinez Zogo, Jean-Jacques Ola Bebe, Samuel Wazizi, and Anye Nde Nsoh between 2019 and 2023, emphasising the persistent lack of accountability for these heinous crimes.
EU Leverage and Call for Action
Given the European Union’s position as Cameroon’s leading trade partner, the Parliament urged the EU and its Member States to actively leverage their diplomatic and economic influence to push for tangible improvements in human rights within the country. The resolution “calls for the EU to use its diplomatic and economic leverage to achieve tangible improvements in human rights in Cameroon.”
It also explicitly “urges them to immediately and unconditionally release Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad and ensure, in the meantime, that their basic rights are upheld and that they have access to medical treatment.”
The resolution also calls on the European Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS), and Member States’ diplomatic missions to proactively respond to restrictions on journalists, including “ensuring comprehensive observation of trials, visiting journalists in detention and maintaining active contact with marginalised or at-risk journalists and with their families and colleagues.”
The European Parliament firmly urged the Cameroonian government to “end their practice of trying civilians in military courts, which does not comply with international law, and to stop abusively invoking terrorism, anti-state and ‘fake news’ charges in cases against journalists.”
Reiterating a previous call, the Parliament “calls on the Member States to support a UN Human Rights Council fact-finding mission to Cameroon, particularly in light of the conflict in the North West and South West Regions” and to “facilitate humanitarian visa applications for Cameroonian journalists at risk of persecution.”
Eyes on Cameroon
This strong resolution from the European Parliament sends a clear message to the Cameroonian authorities that the international community is closely watching the situation and will not tolerate the continued suppression of press freedom.
The demand for the immediate release of the detained journalists and the call for accountability represent a significant step in advocating for the rights of journalists in Cameroon and upholding the fundamental principles of freedom of expression. The Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, and the President, Government, and Parliament of Cameroon have received the resolution.
