Cameroon

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 23 November 1998 joint ARTICLE 19 and Commonwealth Press Union (CPU) letter to Cameroon President Paul Biya, sent as concerns mount regarding the human rights situation in Cameroon: **Updates IFEX alerts of 13 November, 29 October, 13 October, 4 September, 22 January and 14 January 1998** His Excellency […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the arrest of a journalist in Yaoundé. According to RSF’s information, on 12 November 1998, Chrisopher Ezieh, correspondant with “The Herald”, an English language newspaper published three times a week, was arrested and detained at the police station in Kumba. This arrest follows the 11 November publication in “The Herald” […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the arrest of a journalist in Yaoundé. According to RSF’s information, on 3 November 1998, Soter Agbaw Ebaï, reporter with “The Herald”, an English language newspaper published three times a week, was arrested and placed under a committal order at the police station in Yaoundé. This arrest follows the lodging […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is expressing concern following the deterioration of journalist Michel Michaut Moussala’s health. According to RSF’s information, the chief editor of the “Aurore Plus” weekly is suffering from acute asthma attacks which require regular medical attention. Michel Michaut Moussala is being held at the New Bell (Douala) prison since 3 September 1998. On […]

(WAN/IFEX) – On 12 October 1998, WAN welcomed the release from prison in Douala, Cameroon of Pius Njawé, publisher of “Le Messager” newspaper. **Updates IFEX alerts of 11 September, 24 June, 3 June, 7 May, 23 April 1998, and others** “We are delighted that the Cameroon authorities have finally given in to pressure from the […]

(RSF/IFEX) – According to information made available by RSF on 10 September 1998, it has been discovered by Pius Njawé’s lawyers that on 16 April 1998, the Supreme Court of Cameroon rejected the cassation appeal of Njawé, editor-in-chief of the tri-weekly “Le Messager”. The appeal was brought in connection with a six-month prison sentence which […]

(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF’s information, on 3 September 1998, plainclothes police arrested Michel Michaut Moussala, editor of the privately-owned publication “Aurore Plus”, near his Douala home. He was taken to a police station in the morning, then transferred to the New Bell Prison in the afternoon. **Updates IFEX alerts of 22 and 14 January […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is concerned about the safety of Pius Njawe, a journalist who is currently detained at the New Bell prison in Douala, and his family. Editor-in-chief of the privately-owned thrice-weekly “Le Messager”, Njawe was sentenced on appeal on 14 April 1998 to one year in prison for having published an article that put […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 2 July 1998, Patrick Tchouwa, director of publication of the private magazine “Le jeune detective”, which is based in the capital city, Douala, was arrested at a hotel in Yaounde (east of Douala) by judicial police agents. The journalist is being held at the judicial police station in Elig-Essono. Tchouwa’s arrest is […]

(WAN/IFEX) – Pius Njawé, editor-in-chief of the privately-owned weekly “Le Messager”, is suffering an eye ailment for which prison authorities refuse to allow him to receive proper medical treatment. The ailment has apparently been brought on by the conditions of his imprisonment in Douala and exacerbated by lack of specialist treatment. **Updates IFEX alerts dated […]

(HRW/IFEX) – In a letter sent to the president of Cameroon on 2 June 1998, HRW welcomed his call to resolve the case of a wrongfully-imprisoned journalist. Pius Njawe, of “Le Messager”, was convicted of “spreading false information” after he published an article raising the possibility that President Paul Biya had suffered heart trouble during […]

(RSF/IFEX) – According to information made available by RSF on 29 May 1998, on 28 May, Aime Mathurin Moussi, publication editor for the private weekly “La Plume du Jour,” was arrested at his home in Yaounde, by three men in plainclothes who identified themselves as police officers. The journalist was taken by force to an […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – On 16 May 1998, between midnight and 1:00 a.m. (local time), editor Deissa Sall and photographer Cire Sow of the independent “Nouvel Horizon” were assaulted by socialist militants in the home of Abdoulaye Diack, head of the Socialist Party in the Kaolack legislature (in eastern Senegal). The journalists were covering the electoral campaign […]

(RSF/IFEX) – President Paul Biya of Cameroon, on a private visit to France, met with his French counterpart on 5 May 1998. To mark this occasion, on 4 May, RSF delivered a letter to French President Jacques Chirac, in which the organization asked him to intervene with President Biya in order to obtain the release […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a press release issued by RSF on 22 April 1998, the organization announced that it had delivered that day a letter to the Prime Minister of Cameroon, Peter Musonge Mafany, asking for the release of jailed journalist Pius Njawe. On 22 April 1998, the Prime Minister had been invited to an information […]

(IPI/IFEX) – On the morning of 14 April 1998, Douala Court of Appeals Judge Minko issued his decision in the appeal of Pius Njawe’s conviction for publishing a story concerning the health of President Paul Biya. Njawe was appealing against his two year prison sentence and 500,000 Central African Francs (CFA) fine. The text of […]