Maurice Kamto, Christian Penda Ekoka, Albert Dzongang, Paul Eric Kingue, Alain Fogue and Celestin Djamen decided to boycott today’s hearing at the Mfoundi High Court. They were protesting attempts to try them behind closed doors.

At midday, CRM spokesman Olivier Bibou Nissack said: “President Kamto will not appear today because the trial has been politicized. It is same for his allies: Christian Penda Ekoka, Hon. Albert Dzongang (President of La Dynamique), Paul Eric Kingue, Professor Alain Fogue (CRM national treasurer) and Celestin Djamen.

They were expected to hear the verdict on a habeas corpus request. Kamto and the six others were among 200 people arrested on January 26, 2019 following pro-CRM demonstrations across Cameroon.

An impressive number of CRM militants, supporters and sympathizers who are of the opinion that Kamto won the October 7 presidential election in Cameroon however staged a protest demanding that their leaders be freed.

According to CRM sources, the five persons arrested include Foudji Agnés, Toukam Carine Sandrine, Kamgaing Elisabeth, Steve Barbari, Kamgue Pulchérie, and Biene Rose. It is said that the court premises was inundated by security officers most of whom were in civilian attire.

A ban on CRM demonstrations was made public by Territorial Administration Minister, Paul Atanga Nji on April 5. He banned all CRM activities from April 6 to April 13.

The minister, Atanga Nji, also accused the CRM of an act of provocation, having chosen to organise demonstrations on April 6, a date which marks the anniversary of a 1984 coup attempt to oust President Biya.

The Mfoundi High Court was expected to confirm the decision of a lower court to keep Kamto in prison awaiting trial. On April 2, his defense lawyers walked out of the court room in protest of the decision to hold the proceedings behind closed doors.

This move is part of a growing trend in Cameroon. Since late 2016, the government has repeatedly blocked peaceful anti-government protests with force, arbitrary arrest, and detention of protesters. In January 2017, the Minister of “Territorial Administration banned the activities of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium (CACSC), a leading civil society organization working in the volatile Anglophone regions.

CRM Militant, Angela Forbin in a comment condemned the nature of the trial, wondering why government is bent on trying the opposition leader behind closed doors.

Her words: “The government refused to give Maurice Kamto & co a public trial and yet invited propaganda media and plain clothes policemen to come and witness the verdict?!”

Lewis Mudge, Central Africa Director at Human Rights Watch had prior to today’s court appearance said Cameroon is tightening the screw on the opposition with increasing efforts to check the right to assembly, and ban on opposition demonstrations.

Mudge wrote: “The government’s ban on CRM rallies is a step backward for Cameroon and should be lifted immediately. Rather than forbid dissent and lock up opponents, the government should respect democratic principles and allow peaceful protest.”