Pius Njawe, editor-in-chief of “Le Messager Popoli”, was released from jail on his own recognizance on 18 October 1996. However, he is still under threat of imprisonment pending his appeal of the charges. **Updates IFEX alerts dated 18 and 7 October 1996** Njawe was ordered to appear in court on 21 October but says he […]
Pius Njawe, editor-in-chief of “Le Messager Popoli”, was released
from jail on his own recognizance on 18 October 1996. However, he
is still under threat of imprisonment pending his appeal of the
charges.
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 18 and 7 October 1996**
Njawe was ordered to appear in court on 21 October but says he
did not go because he was expected at a journalists’ training
seminar in the capital, Yaounde.
Background Information
Njawe was arrested and detained at the Cameroon airport on 18
October upon his return from South Africa, where he had attended
a conference of the Commonwealth Press Union in Cape Town.
According to an alert originated by the World Association of
Newspapers (FIEJ), on 3 October, the Littoral Appeals Court in
Douala sentenced Njawe and fellow journalist Eyoum Ngangue to six
months’ imprisonment and a 100,000 CFA (US$ 200) fine, and one
year in prison and a 300,000 CFA (US$ 600) fine, respectively,
invalidating a 27 February 1996 verdict from the Douala Court of
First Instance under which the two had only been fined. The court
also issued a warrant for the arrest of Njawe and Ngangue, who
were charged with abusing/insulting the President and members of
the National Assembly (“outrage par injure fait au president de
la Republique ainsi qu’aux membres de l’Assemblee Nationale”) and
for disseminating “false news” (“propagation de fausses
nouvelles”) after the publication of a satirical article in “Le
Messager Popoli” in December 1995 (see IFEX alerts).
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
Njawe and Eyoum Ngangue
Appeals To
His Excellency Paul Biya
President of the Republic of Cameroon
Palais de l’Unite
Yaounde, Cameroon
Fax: +237 23 30 22/+237 22 16 99
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
