At a glance-
Journalists Not Terrorists: In Cameroon, anti-terror legislation is used to silence critics and suppress dissent
In 2014, Cameroon enacted a broad anti-terror law as part of its effort to counter the extremist group Boko Haram, but authorities are using it to arrest and threaten local journalists who report on the militants or unrest in the country’s English-speaking regions.
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Freedom of the Press 2016: Cameroon
In September, a newspaper publisher was arrested for photographing the police breakup of a workshop on democracy. His trial was postponed several times during the year.
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Freedom of the Press 2015: Cameroon
Ranked 145th in annual global media freedom report
13 January 1998
Alert
"La Plume du Jour" newspaper banned for past four months; Pius Njawe remains in detention
Incident details
Pius Njawe journalist(s) detained(RSF/IFEX) - According to RSF's information, the privately-owned newspaper
"La Plume du Jour" has been under a ban for the past four months. On 11
September 1997, the day's edition was seized; the next day, the paper was
banned indefinitely. No official reason was given for the action. The 11
September issue of "La Plume du Jour" contained two articles -- one, titled
"A moralizer without morals," which criticized the country's leadership, and
the other, titled "Who are the prisons profiting?", which criticized the
country's penal system.
**New case, plus update to IFEX alert of 24 December 1997**
(update)
In a separate case, RSF renewed its calls for the release of imprisoned
journalist Pius Njawe. Njawe, editor-in-chief of "Le Messager", has been in
detention since 24 December. He is accused of spreading false news for a 22
December article in his paper reporting that President Paul Biya had
suffered heart problems during a soccer match (see IFEX alert).
Recommended Action
Send appeals to President Biya:
Civil and Political Rights, Article 19 of which guarantees the right to
inform and be informed, as well as Article 9 of the African Charter, which
safeguards the same basic rights
they are respected by others
and secure the immediate and unconditional released of Pius Njawe
Appeals To
President Paul Biya
President of the Republic of Cameroon
Presidential Palace
Yaounde, Cameroon
Fax: +237 23 30 22/+237 22 16 99
Please copy appeals to the source and to the:
Ministry of Justice
Yaounde, Cameroon
Ministry of Communication
Yaounde, Cameroon
Source
Reporters Without Borders
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris, France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Fax:+33 1 45 23 11 51
members working in this country
1
- Most covered free expression issues in this country