Two journalists held incommunicado after trying to photograph homes of top politicians
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders condemns the detention of Jean-Bosco Talla, the deputy editor of the privately-owned weekly “Le Front”, and one of his reporters, Hervé Kémété. They have been held incommunicado since their arrest on 10 February 2008 in the southern town of Zoétélé, to which they had gone to photograph the property owned […]
Publisher of weekly newspaper sentenced to jail in absentia
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 28 August 2007 CPJ press release: Cameroonian publisher sentenced to jail in absentia New York, August 28 2007 – A court in Cameroon’s northwestern town of Kumbo sentenced in absentia, on August 13, the publisher of a small English-language newspaper to a year in prison, according to the national […]
Journalist attacked during opposition demonstration
(JED/IFEX) – JED is indignant and scandalised by the 23 July 2007 assault on Roland Tsapi, a journalist with the privately-owned daily “Le Messager” published in Doula, Cameroon’s economic capital, by riot police who had come to quell a peaceful opposition demonstration. JED notes that in central Africa, it is increasingly common during the repression […]
Journalist arrested, detained, faces criminal charges over “homosexual scandal” story
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 10 April 2007 CPJ press release: In Cameroon, a tabloid director faces criminal charges New York, April 10, 2007 – Prosecutors in the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé, today lodged criminal charges against the director of a private tabloid who has been detained by police since Saturday in connection with a […]
Radio host abducted, beaten
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an 8 November 2006 IFJ media release: IFJ Condemns Kidnapping Attack on Female Journalist in Cameroon The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the recent attack on Cameroonian radio presenter Agnès Tailé, who was brutally assaulted by unknown men in Douala, and continuing threats against the journalist who has […]
Editor released after being held by military security for five days
(RSF/IFEX) – Duke Atangana Etotogo, the managing editor of the privately-owned monthly “L’Afrique Centrale”, was released on the afternoon of 7 September 2006 after writing a letter of apology to the president and the defence minister, one of his close friends, Venant Mboua, told Reporters Without Borders. Etotogo, who had been held by military security […]
Editor, ill and on hunger strike, detained by military security
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders is astounded at the actions of Cameroon’s military security, which has been secretly holding Duke Atangana Etotogo, managing editor of the new privately-owned monthly “L’Afrique centrale”, since 3 September 2006. He was arrested after publishing articles exposing corruption and inefficiency in the army. The editor was held after arriving at […]
Journalist beaten at opposition rally
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 1 May 2006 CPJ press release: CAMEROON: Journalist beaten at opposition rally New York, May 1, 2006 – The publisher of Cameroon’s English-language tabloid The Chronicle was beaten unconscious by the bodyguard and the driver of an opposition leader, local journalists told the Committee to Protect Journalists today. Eric […]
Addressing media “crisis” requires eliminating prison sentences, says RSF
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is a 3 April 2006 RSF letter to the economy and finance minister: Prison is not the answer, economy minister told in letter Reporters Without Borders discusses the issue of press misconduct in its reply to a letter from the economy and finance minister announcing his intention to file suit against […]
A second journalist sentenced in case of “homosexual lists”
(JED/IFEX) – On 24 March 2006, a Yaoundé first instance court handed down a double sentence to Ayisi Biloa, the publication director for the Yaoundé-based “Nouvelle Afrique”, for six months’ imprisonment. Biloa was accused of libelling Jean-Pierre Mayo and Grégoire Owona, a Cameroonian medical doctor and minister in charge of relationships with assemblies, respectively. The […]
Criminal defamation charges wrong response to “secret homosexual” lists, says CPJ
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 14 March 2006 CPJ letter to the Cameroonian president: President Paul Biya C/o The Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20008 Via facsimile: (202) 387-3826 Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is troubled by the cascade of criminal cases filed against newspaper […]
Radio station damaged in arson attack
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: CAMEROON: Radio station damaged in arson attack New York, January 4, 2006 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by an arson attack on private Cameroonian radio station Freedom FM. Fire broke out in the building housing the station on Tuesday evening, according to Freedom […]
Australian reporter released three days after being arrested
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has welcomed the release of Australian freelance reporter Andrew Mueller, who spent three days in detention after being arrested on 11 November in the company of two leaders of a banned separatist movement in the English-speaking northwestern part of Cameroon. “We call on the Cameroonian authorities to be more careful […]
Australian journalist detained by police
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: CAMEROON: Australian journalist detained by police New York, November 11, 2005-Police in southwestern Cameroon detained an Australian freelance journalist today as he was researching secessionist movements in the region. Cameroonian Communications Minister Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo told the Committee to Protect Journalists that authorities are investigating Andrew […]
Independent newspaper targeted in legal suits
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: CAMEROON: Independent newspaper targeted in legal suits New York, August 19, 2005-The Committee to Protect Journalists is troubled by the continued legal harassment of the independent weekly L’Oeil du Sahel by members of Cameroon’s security forces. According to the newspaper’s director, Guibaï Gatama, members of the […]
Newspaper editor released after being held for two weeks
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has welcomed the release of “Le Front” editor-in-chief Joseph Bessala Ahanda on 21 July 2005, two days after a delegation of journalists met the director of criminal affairs at the Justice Ministry. “The end of this arbitrary imprisonment is good news for Cameroon’s journalists,” the organisation said. Ahanda was arrested on 6 […]