Justice Department Must Investigate Political Killings in Cameroon
CCDHR is calling on the Minister of Justice to investigate political killings in Cameroon. Targeted killings of political dissidents in Cameroon continue to be an issue of grave concern. People have been abducted, severely tortured, and dismembered because of ideological differences. Victims of such situations have included political activists, civil society leaders, and journalists. The case of Gregoire Diboule, organizing secretary of the Yaounde office of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) is just one, among many of such incidents.

Gregoire Diboule was killed on May 26, 2006 in Yaounde, Center Province by a gang of people suspected to have come from the North West Province. He apparently had supported a challenge to the status quo of his party’s leadership. A day before rival conventions of the party was due to begin; Gregoire Diboule was beaten to death apparently by men armed with sticks and machetes. His body was left in the street with his eyes gauged out. Such a horrendous act clearly takes the limited democracy in the country many years back.

CCDHR is calling on all those involved to be brought to justice. The Rule of Law must prevail in Cameroon and the rights of individuals to maintain independent political opinions must be respected. Prosecuting and punishing those responsible for this atrocity will send a strong signal to the country as a whole, and to those contemplating similar actions that they will be brought to justice and held accountable for their deeds. The right to freedom of speech and opinion must be upheld in Cameroon and Cameroonians must be free to dissent. It is an extremely dangerous pattern when political dissidents are ruthlessly killed in an effort to systematically prevent people from forming personal opinion. The use of intimidation and threat to life which persist in Cameroon must stop.

CCDHR is also calling on all arrested persons in relation to this crime to be treated as suspects, until they are proven guilty in a court of law after a fair hearing in which their rights as accused persons, including the right to adequate legal representation is observed. The investigation into this murder and any trial that may ensue must be independent of any political influence from the administration. Nobody is above the law and no murderer should be allowed to go unpunished in the country. Justice must be brought to the family and friends of Mr. Gregoire Diboule, to the society as a whole, and for the democratization process in Cameroon.