Douala: Archbishop Kleda Calls for Urgent Reform of Cameroon’s Prisons
The Archbishop of the Douala Archdiocese, His Grace Samuel Kleda, has issued a 9-page strong pastoral letter calling for urgent reforms of prison conditions in Cameroon.
In the document titled “Pastoral Letter on Prison Conditions: A Call for Conversion Towards the Humanization of Prisons in Cameroon,” he denounces what he describes as serious and widespread violations of human dignity in detention facilities.
The prelate points to cases of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and secret detentions, where families are left without information about their relatives’ whereabouts. Kleda warns that this creates “deep anguish for families searching in vain for their loved ones.”
The Archbishop also highlights harsh prison conditions, including severe overcrowding and lack of basic necessities such as food, clean water, ventilation, and medical care. He describes some detention centres as “places of suffering and survival” due to extreme congestion and neglect.
Kleda further criticizes prolonged pre-trial detention and delays in judicial proceedings, saying they contribute to “a denial of justice and prolonged suffering” for many detainees.
Archbishop Kleda calls on authorities to urgently improve detention conditions and reform the justice system. He stresses that prisoners must be treated with dignity, reminding that they “retain their inherent human dignity regardless of their legal situation.”
