Editorial cartoonist attacked at police check point

(CRN/IFEX) – The following is a 3 December 2002 CRN press release: Cartoonist Attacked at Police Check Point Cameroonian cartoonist Paul Nyemb Ntoogue (pen name: “Popoli”) is no stranger to heavy handed “Goon Squad” threats because of his satirical and hard hitting editorial cartoons. In 2000, after he received repeated anonymous phone threats against his […]

(CRN/IFEX) – The following is a 3 December 2002 CRN press release:

Cartoonist Attacked at Police Check Point

Cameroonian cartoonist Paul Nyemb Ntoogue (pen name: “Popoli”) is no stranger to heavy handed “Goon Squad” threats because of his satirical and hard hitting editorial cartoons. In 2000, after he received repeated anonymous phone threats against his family, Popoli went into self imposed exile in a neighboring southern African country. His location at that time was closely held information in the free speech and human rights community as the long arm of the Cameroonian political revenge apparatus reached everywhere in the region. After about 6 months in exile, Popoli returned home and as the story book tells it, “Brer Rabbit, he lay low.” Recently however, the phone threats began anew.

On the night of November 30, Popoli and another staff cartoonist with Le Messager were stopped at an impromptu police check point set up about 50 meters from the paper’s offices. The police first told him that all he was doing in the country was insulting people. Popoli has gained a reputation of being particularly interested in focusing his pointed cartoons on the Head of State’s wife. The police also said that as he hasn’t been arrested yet, he must think he can get away with poking fun at the President. Popoli replied that the Head of State was a citizen just like he was. The Police Officer started beating Popoli about the head and shoulders, telling the other police officers that Popoli had said that, “(President) Paul Biya is nothing in this country.”

At that moment all the police officers started beating Popoli. As they beat him for about 10 minutes they continually told him to continue with his offending cartoons.

Popoli was injured on the head, back and feet and the next day could not go to the press due to the pain. He is now consulting with both a doctor and lawyer. His paper, Le Messager, plans to bring a criminal charge against the offending police officers as they are known persons and there were witnesses to the beating.

In an email to Cartoonists Rights Network’s headquarters in Burke, Virginia, in the US, Popoli said, “It’s enough! I’m only a cartoonist! I’m not dangerous. I don’t understand why they are looking to destroy me. They want me to regret why I’ve returned to Cameroon. For more than 3 months now, the Head of State’s spouse was the one threatening me by phone.” Apparently the First Lady was in the habit of calling Popoli personally from time to time, complaining about his cartoons of her.

Recommended Action

Appeals To

Also send appeals to your country’s ambassador in Cameroon asking him/her to investigate this case and consider making a “de marche” (an official diplomatic meeting to represent a government’s point of view on an important bilateral subject with a diplomatic counterpart) protesting the incident to the Cameroonian government.

Mr. George Staples
Ambassador, US Embassy
Rue Nachtigal, PO Box 817
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Fax: +237 223 0753

Mr. Richard Wildash
British High Commission
Ave. Winston Churchill, BP 547
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Fax: +237 222 0148

Mr. Michel E. Perrault
The Canadian High Commission
Immeuble Stamiatades
Place de l’Hotel de Ville
Yaoundé, Cameroon
BP 527
Fax: +237 222 1090
E-mail: yunde@dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.