Imprisoned Journalist Tsi Conrad Appeals to Pope Leo XIV Ahead of Potential Cameroon Visit

Cameroonian journalist Tsi Conrad, who has spent more than nine years in detention, has written to Pope Leo XIV urging the pontiff to raise the issue of political prisoners during a potential visit to Cameroon, including Bamenda, a city at the heart of the country’s Anglophone crisis.

In a letter dated February 13, 2026, written from Kondengui Central Prison in Yaoundé, Conrad appealed for international attention to the situation of imprisoned journalists and the broader political tensions affecting Cameroon’s English-speaking regions.

The journalist, originally from Bamenda in the North-West Region, was arrested in December 2016 during the early stages of protests by lawyers and teachers in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions. Those protests later escalated into a prolonged conflict between government forces and armed separatist groups.

A Journalist Detained Since the Anglophone Protests

Conrad says he was documenting the demonstrations and the response by security forces when he was arrested.

“My name is Tsi Conrad and I am writing to you from a cramped cell in Kondengui Central Prison in Yaoundé, Cameroon. This has been my home for over nine years,” he wrote in the letter addressed to the pope.

He added that his detention followed his coverage of the 2016 protests.

“When the military responded with bullets and brutality, I filmed it because I believed the world needed to see,” Conrad wrote.

Authorities accused him of terrorism-related offences. He was subsequently tried before a military tribunal and sentenced to 15 years in prison, despite being a civilian journalist.

The use of military courts to try civilians has drawn criticism from human rights organisations and legal experts who say such proceedings undermine fair-trial guarantees.

International Calls for His Release

Conrad’s case has been raised repeatedly by international organisations monitoring press freedom and human rights.

Groups including Amnesty International, Freedom House, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and United Nations experts have called for his release, arguing that his detention raises serious concerns about press freedom and due process.

In his letter, Conrad said these appeals have so far had little effect.

“Amnesty International, Freedom House, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and even U.N. experts have called for the government to release me, but this demand has fallen on deaf ears,” he wrote.

His detention is often cited by press freedom advocates as one of the longest-running cases involving a journalist imprisoned in connection with coverage of the Anglophone crisis.

A Letter Framed by the Anglophone Crisis

In the letter, Conrad situates his case within the broader conflict affecting Cameroon’s English-speaking regions since 2016.

“My story is not unique. It is the story of my people — the Anglophone people of Cameroon,” he wrote.

The conflict began with protests over perceived marginalisation of Anglophone communities in the country’s legal and education systems. It later escalated into armed clashes between government forces and separatist fighters.

Humanitarian organisations estimate that thousands of people have been killed, while hundreds of thousands have been displaced internally and across neighbouring countries.

In his letter, Conrad described the impact of the conflict on communities in the North-West and South-West regions.

“Today, my home is a land of ghost towns, of burned villages, of schools that have been silent for years,” he wrote.

Appeal to the Pope Ahead of Possible Visit

Conrad’s letter comes amid discussions about a potential visit by Pope Leo XIV to Cameroon. Bamenda, the largest city in the North-West Region, has been mentioned as a possible stop during such a visit.

The journalist urged the pope to raise the issue of detained journalists and political prisoners during discussions with Cameroonian authorities.

“As you discuss the potential visit with the Government of Cameroon, I beg you to use your uniquely powerful voice to stand up for me and the other political prisoners in Cameroon,” Conrad wrote.

He also called for the release of other detained journalists, including Amadou Vamoulké, former director-general of Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV); activist Mancho Bibixy; and journalist Thomas Awah Junior.

Personal Toll of Prolonged Detention

In his message, Conrad also spoke about the personal cost of nearly a decade in detention, including separation from his family.

“My faith in God is the one thing that eases the pain of being away from my wife and children for so long,” he wrote.

He ended the letter with a direct appeal for international attention.

“Please do not let our cries fade into silence. Please help me go home.”

MMI News