A military court in Cameroon has sentenced an opposition party leader to 25 years in prison following trial that has been branded as unfair by Amnesty International.
Aboubakar Siddiki, President of the main opposition party in northern Cameroon, ‘Mouvement patriotique du salut camerounais’, has been convicted of charges including hostility against the homeland, revolution and contempt of the President.
However, Amnesty International has said Aboubakar Siddiki who was arrested in August 2014 together with Abdoulaye Harissou, has been convicted despite “no credible evidence being presented to the court”. They were accused of being involved in a conspiracy to destabilise the country.
“Aboubakar Siddiki is the latest victim of the Cameroonian authorities’ strangling of opposition voices. Alongside Abdoulaye Harissou he has already spent more than three years in detention, suffered torture and now he must face a future behind bars on the basis of a politically motivated and deeply flawed trial,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, Amnesty International’s Lake Chad Researcher.
In the same trial, Abdoulaye Harissou, was also sentenced to three years prison for non-denunciation.
A report by Amnesty International claims that the two were held incommunicado for over 40 days in an illegal facility run by the General Directorate of External Relations and subjected to torture following their arrest in 2014.
Initially charged with complicity in murder, illegal possession of arms, hostility against the homeland, revolution, non-denunciation and contempt of the President, their trial began on 22 January 2016. On 9 October 2017, all charges except ‘non-denunciation’ were dropped against Harissou, but those against Siddiki were maintained.
The court also dropped all charges against three journalists – Baba Wame, Felix Ebole Bola and Rodrigue Tongue –who were charged in 2014 with ‘non-denunciation’ of information and sources in relation to the same affair.
Amnesty International has called on the Cameroonian authorities to release and drop all charges against Aboubakar Siddiki and Abdoulaye Harissou while advising the Central African country to refrain from ever using military courts to prosecute civilians.
The government denies the charges are political.
Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds arrested in a crackdown in recent months on protests in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions.
Residents there say they suffer social and economic marginalisation in the predominantly Francophone country.
The protests have become a lightning rod for opposition to President Paul Biya’s 35-year rule.
Africa
Africa ndi dziko lonukha ndi nsanje komanso kaduka…why always african leaders…. dziko losamvetsetseka amene amalakwitsa ndamene ali kunja kwa BOMA???why??…tikufuna amene ali m’bomanso azimangidwa not otsutsa okha okha..Noooo”!!!
typical of African leaders.
Exactry that is apolitical charges aa!25 years so how many years do the gvt conducts general elections that is deliberitry cause for cameroom gvt inorder for the leader of opposition not to stand the coming election very diplorable.
Face looks like chakomalizira kwa movie
Free all political prisoners.
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Yes, he was pompous.
This is unjustifiable u want to create another African Mandela,plz minimize the sentence
For Malawi Is Impossible To Arrest Somebody Who Is Public Figure Although He Has Provoked A Big Offence. For Instance Malawi Was Unable To Arrest Mr Maize Gate Chakwela .Kkkkkkkkk
So that the incumbent stays in power for life@typical of african politics today
Cameroon is a dictatorial leadership country,thus why there sumpremancy allow them to arrest opposition leader such hugu anôs.But here in africa in africa especial malawi country no rule commands such stupt act.Atangoyerekedza kumanga tsogoleri otsutsa i dont think kt hw malawi will be?And what will hapen to the rulling leader..We malawians we can’t get anythn from what cameroon done.Lets use our sumpreme rules of law.And avoid be above the law
Cameroune is a divided country btwen french majority and english minority being abused
So when its divided county do we say that is it democratic?thus dictatorship
Thats dictatorship indeed
Typical of dictators
Rest in peace Mr opposition
His sentence is politically motivated
Good they confusing poor people
A Thomas ingotsekani pakamwa panupo palibe chomwe mukudziwa
Kodi iwe Ukugwilitsa ntchto 4n yanji welengani Nkhani yonse mpka muimalize ndipo or admin yu wapanga dala post nkhaniyi ngati Chenjezo kwa Yonayu!
Mkutheka ma 4n anuwo sangakwanitse kupanga view Nkhani yonseyi tiuzeni tipange paste tikutumizileni Ku Inbox kuti Muiwelenge bwino Mukawauzeso achenjere ali pansi pa lamulo!
Amachenjezedwa munthu osalakwa?
Upita
naeni ameneyo chatsikayo
Watsala chakwera nayenso will be thrown into jail
And I can’t wait either.
Just try!
Billiati if we try you will do what?
Kkkkkkk Kma Awaso Ndi A Billiatidi Makan Pa 4n Gat Aga Vomele Ku Ka khala Naye Mu Cell Hahaha
Hahaha Chakwela will be your president in 2019 olo atakhala kti amubela mavote kmabe akuzalamulira bas
Amange ndani??? Kapena mukusokonezatu,mbava zonse zili m’bomamo mukanene kuti chakwera ?????? DPP cadet,just wait muona zina
zot akulu othawa ubusawa mkuzakhala president iwalani zimenezo….. athawa bwanj ntchito ya mulungu?
Charges are set in accordance with the how critical and sensitive the case is.
It’s phenomenon in most governments be it in Europe Asia and Africa that if an oposition political figure is persecuted public out cry blame the ruling for such a verdict!
This is the only way out to bring sanity in a political arena!!
Ask our neighbour Zambia how they dealt with akihende ichilema!this time there’s peace in there system!
Bravo Cameroon!!!
Iwe Here In Zambia Hakainde Hichilema Ddnt Commit Any Crime,he Was Released Due To Insufficient Evidence To Prosecute Him,it Was A Flimsy/trump-up Treason Charges The State Made…We Av A Crook Govt Here In Zambia Their Z Peace Was Their Da One Wu Were Causing Confusin,beatings,saboteurs, Ar The Abused State Machinery Like Police And Pf Govt Caders..Otherwise H.H. Has No Problem Bt The Govt Wich Z Run By A Knwn Drunkard,thief Aii.No Wino Wino Here In Zambia.
Oooh so the commonwealth mediator came there for fun?
No SHe Didnt Kam Here 4 Fun,,the So-called President Lost Da Elections,he Forced Himself To Remain A Leader While Da Main Opposition Took Da Election Results To The Constitution Court As Petition To Declare Wu True Won,, Bt Da Newly Created Concort Judges Due To Corruption Conaivin Wth Edga Chakolwa Lungu Fail To Hear The Presidential Petition Brot Up By Hakainde Hichilema Until Now It Has Nt Been Heard..So Edgar Lungu Seein That H.H.And His Supotaz Dnt Recognise Lungu,he Decided To Cook Up A Case Of Treason So To Lock H.H In Prison Wich He Did Hoping Dt H.H. Wud Recognise Him As A Presido While 4getn The Petition In The Courts Of Law..Commonwealth S.G As A Mediator Kem To Intervene After Seeing Dt H.H.Was ilegally Imprisoned By Edgar Lungu,she Kam So Dt H.H. B Releasd And Dialogue,So Dt H.H Tel His Case Y He Dnt Recognise Edgar Lungu And Y Edgar Lungu Wnts H.H To Recognise Him,,to Tel U Da Truth Deir Z Law Breakdown Here In Zambia And BrodDay Lite Grand Corruption By ilegal President Ecl And His Minions..
Ma opposition leaders mu africa amakumana nazo….zonse zabodza zokha zokha
Africa the land of political persecution
Watsala Uyu mukumuti Chakwelayu akusokonezaso muno!
Osati Wa green card
Nkhaniyitu yakukulira iwe cadet chifukwa apa tikuti otsutsa wa dziko la Cameroon ndyemwe wakwidzingidwa ndye kunoso tilinaye otsutsa Onunkha zedi
Welcome to Africa where a coin have 3 sides