Cameroon

(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, on 16 January 1998, Samuel Eleme, publication director of the magazine “La Detente”, was convicted of “defamation” and sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of 10,000FF. This conviction follows from a series of articles published in October 1997 accusing John Mandengue Epee, director of a Cameroonian insurance […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF reports that the independent newspaper “Aurore Plus” has been suspended for six months. This action was in conjunction with the sentencing on 13 January of its editor, Michel Michaut Moussala, to six months in prison and a fine of 10,000 FF. (See IFEX alert.) The conviction followed a complaint lodged by Jean […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 13 January 1998, Pius Njawe, editor in chief of the weekly “Le Messager”, was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 500,000 CFA francs (5,000FF) for spreading false information. Arrested on 24 December, Njawe had been convicted for an article titled “Is President Biya sick?” which appeared in the 22 December […]

(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 […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 24 December 1997, Pius Njawe, editor-in-chief of “Le Messager”, was arrested at the newspaper’s offices by men in civilian clothing and taken to judicial police headquarters in Douala. No official explanation was given for Njawe’s arrest. According to his colleagues, the action is thought to be linked to an article that appeared […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Marie Noelle Nguichi, a journalist with the bi- weekly “Le Messager”, was arrested on 12 October 1997 – the day of the presidential elections – by a police officer in a barrack in Yaounde, where a voting booth had been set up. The officer accused Nguichi of being “a spy for `Le Messager’” […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Journalist Joseph Nyada Mani, director of publication for the privately-owned newspaper “Le Proces”, remains imprisoned. On 27 May 1997, he was arrested in Yaounde and placed in detention in the Nkodengui central prison. Mani was convicted of defamation and sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay 500 000 CFA francs […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On the evening of 30 April 1997, Bosco Tchoubet, director of publication of the privately-owned newspaper “La Revelation”, was arrested in Yaounde. The journalist was then detained at the Central Office of Judicial Investigations of the Secretary of State for Defence (“la Direction centrale de recherche judiciaire du secretariat d’Etat a la Defense”) […]

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 […]

On 3 October 1996, the Littoral Appeals Court in Douala sentenced “Le Messager Popoli” journalists Pius Njawe and 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 […]

Paddy Mbawa, director of the independent newspaper “Cameroon Post”, was released from prison during the last week in August 1996 after serving eleven months. He had been sentenced after being found guilty of fourteen different libel offences against the government. Despite his release from prison, Mbawa faces seven additional libel suits. The date for his […]

On 20 August 1996, Vianney Ombe Ndzana, director of the privately-owned newspaper “Generation”, was assaulted in the capital, Yaounde, by several armed individuals. Ndzana was leaving the editorial offices of the newspaper when the individuals accosted him before opening fire on his vehicle. He was later taken to hospital, where he is in stable condition. […]

On 3 May 1996, the Penal Tribunal of Douala sentenced Vianney Ombe Ndzana, managing director of the weekly “Generation”, to five months in prison and CFA 9 million (90,000 French francs) in damages for “insulting and slanderous comments” (“injures et diffamation”). As well, the Tribunal ordered the suspension for six months of “Generation”. The conviction […]

**For background on “Le Messager” see IFEX CH alerts dated 18 May, 20 April and 10 January 1995** On 16 August 1995, Pius Njawe, editor in chief of “Le Messager”, and a journalist with the weekly were given deferred sentences of two months in prison and fined 300,000 francs CFA in damages for “abuse and […]

On 16 August 1995, Paddy Mbawa, editor-in-chief of the “Cameroun Post”, was sentenced to two years in prison for defamation of Jean Fochive, the chief of police in Cameroon. Although appealing this decision, Paddy Mbawa remains imprisoned at the headquarters of the criminal investigation police unit in Douala. Recommended Action Send appeals to Cameroonian authorities: […]

At 16:00 on 6 June 1995 police interrogated Ndzana Seme, editor- in-chief of the paper “Le Nouvel Independent”, without reason or an arrest warrant. At about 6:30 that morning they made a first attempt to arrest him. After forcing open the door of the home of Ndzana Seme, which is also the head office of […]