Amnesty Int’l urges gov’t to charge or release activist Abdul Karim, others.

The request of the rights group is contained in its Africa Censorship and Freedom of Expression report released Monday February 27.

“Amnesty International is calling on the Cameroonian authorities to either charge the three men with a recognisable criminal offence or immediately release them,” partly read the Amnesty International report.

“Peace activist Abdul Karim Ali has been arbitrarily detained without charge since 11 August 2022. While the authorities have provided no formal reason for his detention, he was interrogated repeatedly about a video he made on 9 July 2022 denouncing a Cameroonian military chief for allegedly torturing civilians,” the rights organisation detailed. 

Amnesty International report categorically stated that: “If this is the basis for his detention, it is a violation of his right to freedom of expression”.

“As of 27 February 2023, Abdul Karim Ali has spent 200 days in detention without charge, in violation of Cameroonian law and international human rights standards,” Amnesty International regretted.

“If denouncing the actions of Chief Moja Moja is the only reason for his arrest, he should be released immediately, since his detention would stem solely from the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression,” the group added, noting that his two friends have not also been charged of any crime.

The group recalled that the Anglophone activist was arrested August 11, 2022, “without a warrant, and taken into detention in the city of Bamenda…where he was held for 84 days – 4 of which were incommunicado – at a military police station (gendarmerie) in degrading conditions, including deprivation of food and water for several days, having to use a single bucket both as a toilet and for bathing”.

Amnesty International regretted that while no “formal reason has been given for his detention”, Abdul Karim was interrogated repeatedly about a video he made, denouncing a chief ‘Moja Moja’ for reportedly torturing civilians.

Two others also arrested

The organisation further revealed that two of Abdul Karim’s friends taken into detention alongside him since then are still to be released.

“Two of Abdul Karim’s friends and his brother were also later detained by the gendarmerie, with reference to vague allegations of being his drivers,” the rights group further detailed, adding that while the brother was released after “payment of a large sum of money” his friends remained in detention.

Amnesty International said the three men have appeared before the Military Tribunal of Yaoundé twice since they were transferred to SED in November 2022 but have never been presented before the State Prosecutor.

“None of the three men have been charged with any crime. Abdul Karim Ali’s close family have been forced into hiding after receiving threats. Amnesty International learned that Abdul Karim Ali’s wife has received threats through anonymous calls, which have led her to flee their home,” the group further detailed.

The group regretted that since 2016, Yaounde authorities have been imprisoning hundreds of people simply for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly while citing the cases of five journalists currently being detained, as well as 62 people who protested at a demonstrations organised by opposition Cameroon Renaissance Movement, MRC party, those arrested in Anglophone regions.

Terrorism charges dangles over Abdul Karim

As reported August 16, 2022, by Senior Central Africa Researcher at Human Rights Watch, HRW, the Yaounde regime is dangling terrorism charges over Abdul Karim.

HRW cited Abdul Karim’s lawyers as saying he is accused of “apology of terrorism” for possessing a video on his phone showing alleged human rights abuses committed by a Cameroonian soldier against civilians in the country’s English-speaking regions”  

“Authorities should clarify Ali’s status and respect his rights. Possessing videos of soldiers allegedly committing abuse is not a crime,” the reputable rights organisation stated.

HRW had added: “Unless he is promptly brought before a judge and charged with a genuine offense, he should be released and allowed to continue his work”.

The rights group also quoted Abdul Karim’s lawyers as revealing that they were not permitted to view the file of their client and that he was questioned in their absence, in violation of Cameroonian law.

“Ali’s lawyers said he is being detained in deplorable conditions, in a six-square-meter cell without windows, a toilet, or mattresses. He shares the cell with 12 other detainees,” the HRW report had stated.

HRW had quoted one of Abdul Karim’s lawyers, Barrister Awah Joseph Fru, back then as saying “jailing Ali instead of working with him is a missed opportunity for the government”.

“Arresting a peace advocate stifles an environment for genuine dialogue,” Awah Joseph Fru was quoted as having told HRW.

The rights group further deplored arbitrary detention and mistreatment of detainees, noting that the phenomena “rife in Cameroon”.

“Many people perceived as opposing the government are held on bogus charges related to national security or terrorism,” HRW reported.

Abdul Kraim has in September 2019, been arrested and held without access to a lawyer for five days before he was finally released weeks later.

The activist was held incommunicado until he appeared before the Yaoundé Military Court and was “charged with acts of terrorism, financing terrorism, and secession” and later released November 1, 2019, HRW reported.