European parliament urges unconditional release of prosecuted journalists in Cameroon
By Synthia Lateu
The European Parliament has condemned the Prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, particularly the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, and Tsi Conrad.
In a press release dated April 04, it called for their ” immediate and unconditional ” release, highlighting the systematic violations of journalists’ human rights by the Cameroonian authorities. The Parliament further called on the Cameroonian government to ensure press freedom in the light of the upcoming presidential election.
The lawmakers also urged the European Union (EU) and its member states to engage with Cameroon’s authorities regarding these cases and to exert diplomatic and economic pressure to improve human rights conditions in the country. They support a UN fact-finding mission and demand the provision of humanitarian visas for journalists facing persecution.
The human rights resolution passed by a show of hands emphasised the need to guarantee the rights and access to medical care for the detained journalists. It also demanded an end to military trials for civilians and called for a halt to the misuse of terrorism and ‘fake news’ charges against journalists.
The detention of journalists in Cameroon has drawn widespread condemnation from international bodies, including Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists, which have called for their release and expressed concern regarding press freedom in the country.
Amadou Vamoulké, the former director general of state broadcaster, CRTV, received a 20-year prison sentence last August 28 after being convicted of “embezzlement of public funds” by the Special Criminal Court in Yaoundé. This verdict follows a previous 12-year sentence in 2022 on similar charges.
Other journalists have also faced severe punishments amidst the ongoing Anglophone crisis. Freelance journalist Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka from the Northwest region was sentenced by the military tribunal to 10 years in jail on September 24, 2024, more than four years after his arrest and two years of awaiting trial.
Thomas Awah Junior, another journalist from Cameroon’s English-speaking Northwest Region, was sentenced in 2018 to 11 years in prison on charges that included secession, insurrection, and spreading false information.
Tsi Conrad, journalist from Northwest region , was arrested in December 2016 while covering a demonstration during which security forces allegedly shot at the demonstrators. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for various charges, including acts of terrorism and insurrection.
Mancho Bibixy, currently serving a 15-year sentence in Yaoundé Central Prison, is accused of leading an insurrectionist plan to destabilise governmental institutions.
Over the years, journalists in Cameroon have faced threats that undermine their right to freedom of expression. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported earlier this year that it has documented several physical attacks and acts of intimidation against journalists in Cameroon, coinciding with the country’s upcoming elections.
