Military Brutality on Lawyers: Cameroon BAR Council calls for a nationwide lawyers’ strike

The Cameroon Bar Association has taken a firm stance following the recent persecution of its members by the Cameroon military.

The historic barbarism perpetrated on legal personnel in Cameroon appeared to have “crossed a threshold” when lawyers were brutalised and teargassed right inside the courtroom of the Bonanjo Court of First Instance, Douala.

The events of last week were proceeded by systematic arrest of lawyers under very inhumane conditions. Among them are Firebrant Human Rights Lawyer, Barrister Tamfu Richard, and Maitre Armel Tchuemegne Kenmegne, arrested on Wednesday November 18, 2020 without a warrant.

The pair was arrested on November 18, 2020 and have recently been transferred to the Douala New Bell Prison.

In what has been termed “a prompt reaction”, the interim Bar President, Barrister Atangana Bikouna Claire met with other Bar Council Executives in an extra-ordinary session – in which key decisions were jointly arrived at.

They unanimously resolved to call for a Nationwide strike. The lawyers from November 30, 2020 to December 4, 2020 will be expected to boycott all court sessions throughout the national territory.

The Bar Council also concluded to indefinitely postpone the judicial honours for late Bar president, Tchakounte Patie Charles. These honours where initially scheduled to take place at the court of appeal of the Littoral region and the Supreme Court in Yaounde next week.

The lawyers decided that these locations were going to be altered to those  “more accommodating to lawyers which will be communicated later”.

The Bar council has also decided to suspend the appearance of lawyers in all criminal-related matters in courts throughout the national territory including the supreme court and special criminal court.

It also suspended all appearance by its lawyers in all court dealings with electoral disputes including the constitutional council.

By Leopold Werner

Mimi Mefo Info