Strasbourg 03.04.2025 The European Parliament condemns the systematic violations of journalists’ human rights by the Cameroonian authorities and calls on them to ensure press freedom ahead of the country’s 2025 presidential election. MEPs demand the immediate and unconditional release of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, and Tsi Conrad.

They emphasise that their rights and access to medical care must be guaranteed. Parliament urges the EU and its member states to raise these cases with Cameroon’s authorities; as well as to apply diplomatic and economic pressure to improve the respect for human rights in the country. Additionally, MEPs demand an end to military trials for civilians and to the misuse of terrorism and ‘fake news’ charges against journalists. They call on the EU to support a UN fact-finding mission, and demand the offer of humanitarian visas for journalists at risk of persecution.

90-year-old Marcel Niat Njifenji has served as Cameroon's Senate President since 2013.

He was re-elected on March 18.

85-year-old Cavayè Yengui Djibril has served as the President of the National Assembly since 1992.

Cameroon's 93-year-old President Paul Biya has ruled the… pic.twitter.com/lWQpX9AKLG

— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) April 3, 2025

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The Resolution on condemnation of prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, including the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, and Tsi Conrad
was adopted by a show of hands.

Amadou Vamoulké, former managing director of the state-owned Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV), is currently the journalist jailed for the longest period in #Cameroon. Individuals close to Vamoulké said that his journalistic integrity and independence as head of CRTV led to… pic.twitter.com/aJE1tL1SRn

— CPJ Africa (@CPJAfrica) August 30, 2024

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Almost two years after being sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for “embezzlement of public funds” – and having already been arbitrarily detained for eight years – the former director-general of Cameroon’s national radio and TV broadcaster CRTV, Amadou Vamoulké, has been sentenced to 20 years’ in August 2024 for imprisonment for a similar offence. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) are outraged by the court’s latest decision, which increases his sentence to 32 years, and calls on the authorities to immediately release the journalist, who is in a worrying state of health.