MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad

1.4.2025 - (2025/2627(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 150 of the Rules of Procedure

Silvia Sardone, Susanna Ceccardi, Roberto Vannacci, Nikola Bartůšek
on behalf of the PfE Group

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

B10‑0234/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on Prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad

(2025/2627(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Cameroon,

–  having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,  

 

A. whereas journalists Amadou Vamoulké, Tsi Conrad, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah and Kingsley Njoka are currently detained, facing various charges;

B. whereas freedom of expression is a fundamental right formally recognised in the Constitution of Cameroon, media outlets and individual journalists face ongoing challenges to their freedom and safety; and the government exercises control over the media, including through intimidation tactics, to suppress dissent and silence the press;

C. whereas  two journalists have died in government custody under suspicious circumstances since 2010 and the most recent incident occurred in January 2023, when the prominent journalist Martinez Zogo was murdered, soon a month later, another journalist, Jean-Jacques Ola Bebe, was killed on the same day that he was a guest on a radio show and discussed Zogo's murder;

1. Regrets that the Cameroonian government utilises anti-terror, anti-state, and "false news" charges, in addition to criminal defamation legislation, to detain and convict journalists;  furthermore, it is observed that the government often employs military tribunals to prosecute journalists, thereby circumventing the right to a fair trial and appeals process that is guaranteed under international law as the cases of Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, and Tsi Conrad.;

2. Calls for the release of individuals who have been arbitrarily detained for exercising their fundamental right of freedom of expression or association, jailed without substantial evidence, or without due process;

3. Calls on the diplomatic missions to key EU Member States, to actively engage to ease the restrictions against journalists, including visiting journalists in detention, and maintaining active contact with their families and colleagues;

4   Calls the Cameroonian authorities to put on end practices of incommunicado detention and to repeal or amend the Suppression of Acts of Terrorism Law that disproportionately targets opposition leaders and allows death penalty sentences for peacefully protesting;

5. Calls for the EU and its Member States, as key development partners, to raise individual cases, human rights concerns with the Cameroonian authorities;

6. Express concern that press freedom, liberty of expression and journalist safety in Cameroon has been in decline for more than a decade, noting that is a fundamental pillar of a free society, which is also under pressure in European society;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Cameroonian authorities and international institutions.