Amnesty International has urged the Cameroonian government to cease its harassment of Alice Nkom, a renowned human rights lawyer and President of the Central African Human Rights Defenders Network (Redhac). Nkom has been summoned to appear before the prefect of the Wouri department and the national gendarmerie in January. Amnesty International has condemned the suspension of Redhac and other civil society organizations, stating that these actions violate international human rights obligations.
In a statement on the rights group’s website dated January 9, Amnesty International’s regional director for West and Central Africa, Marceau Sivieude is quoted as saying: “The ban on activities and the arbitrary suspension for three months of Redhac and three other civil society organizations, is contrary to the country’s international human rights obligations to ensure the rights of everyone to freedom of expression and association”.
The statement further stated that “The authorities must immediately end the misuse of the justice system to target Alice Nkom”.
Going further, the right group said: “The weaponization of the justice system to intimidate human rights defender Alice Nkom shows the authorities’ flagrant disregard for the human rights of those who defend the rights of other people.
“Cameroonian authorities must end the suspension of the affected organizations, reinstate their status and allow them to carry out their activities without arbitrary interference”.
The statement comes a day before Nkom is due to appear in court for what critics term ‘politically motivated’ charges.
Authorities have been clamping down on civil society organizations, including churches, in the build-up to presidential elections in October.
Amnesty International Urges Cameroonian Government to End Harassment of Human Rights Lawyer Alice Nkom
