Cameroon – Kondengui Crisis: Amnesty International Urges Government To Stop Using Excessive Force To Manage Crisis

Par Kiven B. NSODZEFE | Cameroon-Info.Net
YAOUNDE - 23-Jul-2019 - 18h18   3894                      
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Marie-Evelyne Petrus Barry, Amnesty International Archives
Marie-Evelyne Petrus Barry, Amnesty International West and Central Africa Director has called on Cameroonian authorities to refrain from using excessive force against prisoners and independently, and effectively investigate the use of firearms and live ammunition reported, during Monday's riot.

In a report published on watchdog’s website, Amnesty International decried poor prison conditions and long trials, which seems to have frustrated a number of prisoners who started the protest on Monday at the Yaoundé Central prison in Kondengui.

“Prison conditions are absolutely dire in Kondengui, an overcrowded prison where many prisoners are waiting to be brought before a judge. Until this situation is remedied there is a real risk of further violence”, said Marie-Evelyne.

“Authorities should work to improve the grim conditions prisoners are crammed into, release anyone detained only for exercising their right to peaceful protest and ensure all the people detained past the legal period of pre-trial detention are immediately presented to a judge or released.” She added.

Following the visit of Jean Claude Tsila, Senior Divisional Officer for Mfoundi to assess the damage this morning, It was revealed that four prisoners were injured, and two former ministers as well. Part of the prison was burnt down and elements of the anti terrorism department of the gendarmerie controlled the situation. Some ring leaders and prisoners have been transferred to other detention facilities, to reduce the crowd.

Some detainees from the Anglophone regions and CRM party militants, staged a protest at the prison yard to denounce overcrowding, judicial delays and deplorable conditions. Security forces later stormed the prison and fired gunshots.

 

 

Auteur:
Kiven B. NSODZEFE
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