FAJ calls on CMR to lift ban on three journalists

The Federation of African journalists (FAJ), during African chapter of the International Federation of journalists (IFJ) have condemned in a statement, violations of freedom of the press imposed by the military court of Cameroon on three journalists under house arrest, for not "notifying the military, administrative or judicial authorities of activity likely to harm national defence".

"We condemn the anti-democratic measures against the three colleagues who are confined to a house arrest and deprived of the right to exercise their profession," said Mohamed Garba, FAJ president and as a result, "we ask the Government of Cameroon to lift the ban and put an end to these acts of intimidation and harassment against these three journalists."

The three journalists were summoned on October 28, 2014 at the military court in Yaoundé on the above accusation.

At the end of the hearing held behind closed doors, they asked the three journalists not to leave Cameroon; to inform the investigating judge before all absences, or all changes of address or employment; to obtain the authorization of the judge of instruction or the Commissioner of the Government before moving abroad; not to visit penitentiaries in Yaoundé, to refrain from meeting national and international journalists, not to engage in professional activities, give press briefings or interviews.

These are serious violations of fundamental liberties, said Stanislas Nkundiye, president of the trade unions of the Central Africa press professionals (USYPAC) for whom "colleagues are not the Government intelligence agents, they are journalists who cannot be faulted in the exercise of their function” revealed the press release.