Pius Njawé continues legal battle

(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 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 had been handed Njawé by
the Douala Court of Appeal on 3 October 1996. At the time the appeal was
brought there were five months and thirteen days remaining to be served on
the sentence, and the Supreme Court’s rejection of the appeal means that
Njawé must now serve the remainder of the sentence. Njawé’s lawyers,
informed by chance of the ruling in August 1998, have not received any
official notification from the Supreme Court.

**Updates IFEX alerts of 24 and 3 June, 7 May, 23 and 14 April, 20 and 13
January 1998, and others**
Moreover, on 20 August 1998, the Supreme Court rejected Njawé’s request for
conditional release following his being sentenced to one year in prison on
13 January 1998.

As soon as Njawé’s lawyers are officially informed of the Supreme Court
decision, they will request enforcement of the law on concurrency of
sentences. If the law is enforced, Njawé, detained since 24 December 1997,
could see his 1996 six-month prison sentence run concurrently with the
year-long sentence he is now serving.

Recommended Action

Mr. Laurent Esso

Minister of Justice

Garde des Sceaux

Ministry of Justice

1000 Yaounde, Cameroon