Journalist Wazizi nowhere to be found 302 days after arrest

302 days after his arrest, Buea journalist, Samuel Wazizi is yet to be seen by his family, lawyers and colleagues.

Wazizi’s lawyers have had to file a habeas corpus for a second time but are yet to see him. The first habeas corpus was thrown out for “wrongful quotation of the law.” The Fako high court has once more adjourned the case to June 9th, 3 days after his 33rd birthday.

All attempts to have just a glimpse of Wazizi have proven futile. His disappearance comes to add to those of several other pressmen arrested in the line of duty.

Awah Thomas, Paul Chouta and Wawa Jackson are a few of some of Cameroon’s jailed pressmen as others have been attacked.

Rights and journalist advocacy groups like the Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ have called for their release to no avail.

“From the onset of the case, the Cameroonian authorities have flouted their legal obligation to afford Mr. Abuwe Samuel (alias Wazizi) his due process rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (African Charter),” the American Bar Association states.

“Authorities must stop trying to force journalists like Samuel Wazizi to toe the government line about the separatist conflict in Cameroon by harassing and intimidating them through illegal detentions and flagrant violations of the rule of law,” Angela Quintal, CPJ Africa program coordinator says.

Wazizi’s prolonged disappearance has once more raised concerns over his safety with some demanding proof of life.

Mimi Mefo Info

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