Muslim scholar, Abdulkarim clocks one year in detention
Detained without trial, since August 11, 2023, Muslim scholar, Abdulkarim Ali, who believes in the self-rule of former Southern Cameroon, has now spent one year without being tried.
But Mr Karim has maintained that he was abducted and not arrested, “On this day of my 1st anniversary in abduction, I pray. On this special day, I hold the hands of the other leaders with the permission of Allah. I pray for our leadership. I have cried for over 45 minutes after listen to the voice of my Mother shaking in tears.”
He added that many women are wailing and suffering as the war in Anglophone regions continues, “Millions of our Mothers terrify in tears daily. For how long will they cry?”
On his detention anniversary, the scholar said his wish is that the leaders of the revolution come together and I pray. I pray for Dr. Cho, Dr. Akwanga, Dr. Sako, Sesekou Ayuk, Chairman Kometa, Boh Herbert, Chris Anu, Mariantha, Mbah Akuro, and all leaders within their rights. Come to common terms, my people. We don’t have a choice, we don’t have two options. There is only one option for us, which is to be free from bondage. Come to common terms my leaders, let’s agree on the needful and stop the suffering,” he said in an emotional statement.
In December 2022, Amnesty International called for his release, stating that he was arrested for expressing his views.
“He was arrested only for exercising his right to freedom of expression,” Fabien Offner, Amnesty International’s researcher for West and Central Africa, said.
“According to his lawyers, Abdul Karim Ali was arrested without a warrant by gendarmes on 11 August in Bamenda, North-West region, and taken to the regional gendarmerie legion, where he was held for 84 days, including incommunicado for several days, in violation of international and regional human rights standards. When he was held incommunicado, he was deprived of any contact with the outside world and of access to family and lawyers. He was held in a windowless cell, deprived of food and water for several days, and had only one bucket for both toileting and washing.” Amnesty International wrote.
