Human Rights Watch accuses Cameroon of torture, rights abuse of detainees

In its latest report published Tuesday , global rights body, the Human Rights Watch has said Cameroonian Authorities held over 100 detainees incommunicado and tortured many of them in a detention facility in Yaounde, from July 23 to August 4, 2019.

The detainees, they say were rendered to the dreaded facility, The State Defense secretariat, SED, the morning after inmates in Yaounde Central prison rioted on July 22nd in protest at overcrowding, dire living conditions, and delay in their cases getting to trial.

Human Rights Watch says many were in detention on suspicion of being involved with or supporting armed separatists groups operating in the English speaking regions of Cameroon .

From Satellite images, Human Rights watch, report reveals has established that established that at least 100 of the prisoners were taken to the SED and the whereabouts of majority of them remained unknown.

The rights group said it interviewed 14 detainees who said they were tortured at SED, beaten with various objects including wooden sticks, planks, electric cables, machete, and guns.

Human Rights watch also recounted the testimony of a 37-year-old man from Bamenda who said gendarmes attempted to suffocate him.

Another sad testimony came from a detainee from Manyu Division in the South West region, who said he was beaten half naked out of Kondengui alongside other Anglophone.

Human Rights watch established Incommunicado detention, indicating that the detainees were held for 12days before being allowed to briefly speak with lawyers in August 3th.

The rights group has meanwhile regretted that detention conditions at SED are appalling, with poor hygiene and sanitation and lack of appropriate medical care.
The detainees , they say also suffer overcrowding, inadequate and insufficient food, and no access to fresh.

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